RELIGION 51

the rescue of Exwumxwumlaix they saw him being carried downstream
to a salmon-weir about three hundred yards below. The trap was raised
at once, but it was too late; the rash fisherman was dead. No one could
give a name to the supernatural being who had caused his death; it was
merely one of those dwelling under the river.

Whales, too, are sometimes observed in the rivers, but
though they appear to resemble those of the ocean they are
really their supernatural prototypes.

These human-like dwellers beneath the water can, as in
this case, cause death, but they are usually regarded as un-
canny rather than dangerous. But there is one undersea
being whom the Bella Coola regard with unmixed awe; he is
Qomogqwa (see Plate 10), lord of the supernatural ones beneath
the ocean, as A7guntdm is lord of those dwelling above. He
lives in an enormous house under the sea wherein the fish, the
sea-mammals, and the sea-plants have their home. The Bella
Coola believe that these beings can take human form at will,
and assume that their behaviour in Qomogwa’s dwelling cor-
responds to that of human beings in the house of an earthly
chief. In the beginning of time, when men were more powerful
than in recent years, this house sometimes rose to the surface
of the water and adventurous Bella Coola entered it on various
occasions, leaving to their descendants tales of the wonders it
contained. These accounts have become family myths and
are described with others of similar type in Chap. vy, vol. I.
Records of this kind vary greatly in detail; in fact, few agree
more than in broad outline. Sometimes it is stated that deni-
zens of the sea appear in Qomoqwa’s house in the flesh; other
myths describe paintings of sea creatures around the walls
and the manner in which these are brought to life by Qomogqwa.
Irrespective of the exact details, it is clear that he is chief of
the undersea beings who serve him and hunt for him, the black-
fish being especially proficient in this respect. Qomogwa resents
any slight to his protégés and punishes any mortal who is
unkind to them.

*Bella Coola concepts concerning the transformability of men and animals will
be described in the next section of this chapter.