WARFARE 347

shore of a river where “the white men got money stone.” Then
Stukwala began to go south, and was finally sold to an impor-
tant chief living north of Port Simpson. He used to beat her;
in fact, she carried the scars with her tohergrave. Stukwala’s
master had another slave, a male Bella Bella, with whom the
woman was on friendly terms since she was related by blood
to a Bella Bella family and could speak that language. Angered
by her harsh treatment, S?ukwala suggested to her companion
in misfortune that they kill their master and escape. The man
_ was at first unwilling, but she assured him that she knew the
route southward. The conspirators awaited their opportunity
which came when their master went halibut fishing, accom-
panied only by his two slaves. One evening Stukwala cooked
a large meal for him which made him drowsy as he sat by the
fire; then she stole behind him, picked up an axe, and killed
him by hitting him over the head. The two murderers care-
fully scraped up all the blood, tied stones to the corpse, and
sank it in deep water so that their master’s friends would be-
lieve that he had been drowned with his slaves. Then the two,
having stolen a canoe, paddled off, hiding by day, and sub-
sisting on what shell-fish they could gather. After many perils
they reached Bella Bella, whence S?ukwala returned home.

She had been carried off as a mere girl, but was past the age
of child-bearing when she returned and had almost forgotten
her native language. The Bella Coola were keenly interested
in the tale of her adventures, and especially in the way that
slaves were buried in Alaska. It was assumed that some of
their own captives must have been killed in that way, so a
slave from the far north was crushed in revenge. It is said
that this custom was common among the northern tribes from
whom the Bella Coola adopted several practices, although
this particular one was carried out but once.

The most famous Kitkatla chief, and the one most dreaded
by the Bella Coola, was Te.bisa, who is said to have had almost
despotic powers over his northern warriors. The name itself
was transmitted from one holder to another, but the most