WARFARE 371

he too delayed action until the foremost craft of the next town had
arrived. This was continued until the whole flotilla, which had extended
for nearly five miles, was ranged in an irregular mass around the envoys.
The captain of the last canoe was Qwaxtiditis, a Fort Rupert chief and
validated warrior who had taken an unassuming position because he had
Bella Coola blood in his veins and was unwilling to kill his kinsmen; he
had been unable to dissuade his fellows from the expedition, but had
determined to take little part in it himself. The reputation of this man
was so great that it was decided by universal consent to leave the fate of
the messengers in his hands. But when Qwax#idi#is arrived, the canoes
were massed so closely that he could not even see the cause for the delay.
He entered a small craft and managed to make his way to the centre of
the throng, where he quickly sized up the situation and bitterly upbraided
those who had failed to kéep their oaths. Then he donned his war ac-
coutrements, killed a single Bella Bella silently and unemotionally, then
withdrew to the edge of the flotilla. Thus encouraged, an attack was
made on the unfortunate messengers. One of them unshipped the mast,
stood in the bow and offered a stout resistance by swinging this around
like a heavy club, killing one of his foes. Another plunged overboard and
in the confusion managed to swim ashore. When the massacre was over,
Qwaxtiditis called out in a loud voice:

“Song” will fall upon us for our sin. Take care. I am going home.”

He turned and paddled homewards, followed by the other canoes
from his own village. His real reason was to assist his Bella Coola
Kinsmen, but none of the Kwakiutl realized that. After some discussion,
the whole expedition was abandoned.

The Bella Bella survivor eventually made his way home with the
news which was received with great astonishment, disregard of a safe-
conduct to potlatch messengers being virtually unknown. The ceremony
itself was postponed and finally abandoned owing to the death of the

“intending donor. No punishment was meted out to the offenders by a
third tribe, either because the ritual was committed against a foreign
tribe instead of among themselves, or because the offenders came from
so many villages that it was impossible to isolate the guilty.

After this calamity, Siwid himself made no more efforts to raid the
Bella Coola. About twenty-five years later, when he was an old man,
he made a peaceful visit northward to establish friendly relations; he was
welcomed and no more hostile acts were committed by his followers
during their chief’s lifetime. On his death, his son, who was also war-
like in disposition, tried to stir up trouble but was restrained by the
influence of the white man which had become dominant on the coast by
that time.