Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-21
SUPERSTITIOUS 10.
CURIOUS LEGENDS OF THE FAR
NORTHWESTERN TRIBES.

Several Traditions which Refer to the
Sun-The Raven. the Mink and the salm.
ON In Legends Of British Columbiau
Tribes Of Aborigines.
Among the northern coast tribes of
British Columbia the raven PLAYS an
important part. He is the benefactor Of
man and by some tribes is considered
the deity himself. One of his adventures
was stealing the sun from the chief who
kept it from man in little box, togeth-
er with the moon and daylight In one
tribe he created salmon. Another legend
makes him the grandson of the deity,
his father having left earth for a visit
to heaven and there married the chiefs
daughter.
Another series Of traditions refers to
the sun, and in o class of these the mink
is considered the son of the sun. These
legends are told by the Bliqula and
klivakuetl tribes of British Columbia.
In this story you will notice the remark
able resemblance to the Greek Phaethon.
Once upon a time the mink played grace
hoops with the ducks, and the mink
won. Then they shot arrows at stick,
and the mink proved the best marks
man. Then all the ducks abused him
and maltreated him and finally broke
his bow and said: ''We do not care to
play any longer with You. You do not
even know where your father is. - Stung
by this taunt. mink fastened to his
mother. She told him his father was in
the sky; it was he who carried the sun
every day. Mink determined to visit
him, and with his new bow shot an ar
row into the sky. The arrow stuck in
the sky, second arrow hit the notch Of
the first, and finally chain was formed
reaching from the sky to the earth. Ur
this ladder mink climbed and arrived at
his fathers abode. His father was glad
to see him and permitted him to carry
the sun in his stead for one day. He
must ascend slowly behind the noun
tains and not go fast lest the earth
should burn. Equipping himself with
his fathers blanket and nose ornament,
mink set out.
All went we'll till Just before noon.
Mink became impatient at his slow
progress, began to run, and to kick aside
the clouds which DISTRACTED his path.
He set fire to earth, and men, in order to
escape the fearful flames, jumped into
the ocean. Part Of them were trans.
formed into animals, part into real men
(they had been half man and half ami.
mails before). Poor mink was thrown
from heaven into the sea below, but
was rescued and carried home.
The legend of the visit to heaven &C.
ours in many Of the tribes. but with
other animals than the mink. Many
stories told of the raven are also told
of mink. He, too, obtained fire for his
tribe, obtaining it from the ghosts whc
had it in their possession. Mink stole
the infant child Of the chief Of the
ghosts and would not give it up till the
firebrand was given him.
Farther south, along the coast, the
sun becomes a more important mytho
logical figure. 1t is said the Salish Of
the interior burn food, blankets and
other property as an Offering to the sun.
Some Of the important legends refer te
the murder of the sun, and to the origin
Of the new sun and moon. From the
language and from the legends it ap
pears that many of the coast tribes con
sidered the moon and sun as the SAME
person, Or at least as two brothers. Ont
story runs: IA long time ago there wal
man named Momhanate, who wa.
blind. As he was unable to endure the
heat Of the sun, he went fishing during
the night. When the day began to
dawn, his wife would go down to the
beach and call him home before the sur
rose. One day, however, his wife SLEPT
too long, and it was already daylight
when she awoke. She called to her hus
band to return as quickly as possible
but before he reached the shore he had
melted. Then the sons determined tt
avenge their fathers death. They made
a chain of arrows and climbed up. They
killed the sun with their arrows, and
then thought, What shall we do next?
The older one said, Let us be the sun,
and he asked the brother where he
wanted to go. The latter answered, q
'AAA 81 W tAV hAGhts yOu 81 W eAiO udy.
And so they did. The younger brother
became the moon, the elder the sum-"
As the salmon is the great staple Of
subsistence from the Sacramento rivel
northward, so with it are connected the
greatest number of superstitions. Messrs
Lewis and Clark, mentioning the cap
ture Of the first salmon at The Dalles il
1907, an occasion of great rejoicing
state that in order to hasten their arriv
al tho Indians, according to custom,
dressed the fish and cut it into small
pieces. one of which was given to eacf
child in the village. At the mouth Of
the Columbia the first salmon could b
eaten only by the medicine men. Tht
taking Of the first fish of the season wa.
everywhere the occasion of a feast. Tit
salmon dance was performed, and thu
anticipations Of plenty ightened every
heart. The earlier fish could not be oh
tanned at any price by a white man IN
less 1t were first cooked. lest he should
open it with knife instead Of a ston,
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