476 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

No one believed her. Then he spat in the eye of one of the other
women, and she gained the sight of that eye, so was able to confirm the
fact that the son of Magwdnts was among them. But the others, still dis-
believing, asked how he could possibly have reached their country. When
he told them the story of his travels they did believe, because many of
them knew about the salmon-boy who had gone to live among men. All
the women begged to be granted their sight, so he spat in the eyes of
everyone and each received vision; if he had not done so, using the power
he had received from Azguntdm, all geese and mallards would still be
blind. The first woman to whom he had given sight showed gratitude
by her anxiety for his safety. She told him not to venture among the
women who were swimming in a neighbouring river, but instead to go at
once to the home of the salmon-boy’s father.

Magwénts’s son followed the woman’s advice and without difficulty
found the house, which resembled a Haida one, with elaborately carved
front and totem-pole. In the latter was the jaw-like door, which the
visitor passed through safely, to find, within, all the chiefs gathered to
meet him, as comrade of Skatpts, beside whom he sat down. Food was
passed around and accepted by all except Magwdnts’s son; he did not
like salmon fare, but felt no hunger, thanks to the miraculous food which
he carried in his mouth. Towards dusk he suggested to Skatpts that they
go for a walk to see the town and its inhabitants, and they set out to-
gether. The land of the salmon and geese was warm and pleasant
so they had an agreeable stroll as far as the last house of the village,
where the occupants politely offered them food. The salmon-boy declined
it, saying:

“We are just out for a walk, to see the people.”

Presently, as they strolled further, Magwduts’s son saw in one of the
houses a beautiful merganser woman with whom he fell in love.

“I want to marry that woman,” he said to Skatpts.

“Don’t do that,” replied his comrade. “Take any other woman you
choose, but she comes of a bad family. She has been married several
times, and on each occasion her father has murdered his son-in-law. I
should be afraid of Magwénts, if you were killed.”

Magqwénis’s son persisted, and against the advice and wishes of his
comrade he was married forthwith, and spent the night with his bride.

Next morning, as soon as Magqwénts’s son had risen, his new father-in-
law asked him to go salmon-fishing with him and he agreed. The two
embarked on the river in a canoe, Magwénts’s son in the bow. When they
reached mid-stream, the merganser man tilted the craft so that his son-in-
law was thrown into the river. His father-in-law expected him to be
drowned, because no salmon can swim in its own river, but Magwénis’s