open mussel shell had cut her foot, therefore they could not
go for cedar bark. They carried out this plan, and paddled slowly to
Ho-moh-ah. The people saw them come, and wondered much what evil had
befallen them, but when they saw the blood upon the kutsack of the
youngest girl and saw her bound up foot, they guessed the trouble.
Before the sun had set, the brother had been told of the wolf pups,
and secretly that night he had taken from them the precious parts,
and when he went hunting, he rubbed the medicine on his canoe, and
had such wondrous luck he soon became the chief of all whale hunters.
Such is the story told by that weird painting, which could be seen
some years ago adorning the dark walls of the great potlatch house
of Shewish, Seshaht chief on Ho-moh-ah but better known as Village
Island, Barkley Sound.

[Illustration: HALIBUT HOOK AND CLUB FOR STUNNING FISH]

THE FINDING OF THE TSOMASS

NAMES AND WORDS OCCURRING IN THE LEGEND "THE FINDING OF THE TSOMASS"

Alberni, the valley at the head of the Alberni Canal, a wonderful
cleft or fjord which almost splits Vancouver Island in two. This
fjord has its outlet in Barkley Sound on the west side of the
island. The Alberni Canal was named by the Spaniards after Don Pedro
Alberni, captain of infantry in charge of soldiers stationed at
Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island, during the Spanish occupation.

Tsomass River--spelt and pronounced by the "Whites" Somass, a
fine river formed by the confluence of the Stamps and Sproat or
Klee-coot rivers, draining Great Central lake and Sproat or Klee-coot
lake respectively. The Tsomass river flows through the Alberni Valley
into the Alberni Canal.

The E-coulth-aht, is one of the many divisions of what Gilbert
Malcolm Sproat called "the Aht tribes" inhabiting the west
coast of Vancouver Island.

Po-po-moh-ah, is now known by the Spanish name "San Mateo Bay"
situated on the east side of Barkley Sound, not far from the entrance
to the Alberni Canal.

U-chuck-le-sit, is a small but safe harbour on the north side
and near to the entrance to the Alberni Canal. The cannery, cold
storage plant and village of Kildonan are built on the harbour.

Klu-quilth-soh, is the Indian name for a rather forbidding passage
in the Alberni Canal, and known for strong winds and choppy seas. It
is named by the white people "Hell's Gate."

Chehahs were Supernatural spirits or influences; there were good
and bad chehahs.

She-she-took-