STORIES 439

and a profitable task to kill all four swig. The village chiefs decided to
take action. They sent word to the other Bella Coola villages, asking for
aid, and requesting that those disposed to give it should bring with them
soiled clothing, cedar-bark cloths used by women in menses, and resinous
sticks for torches.

Several months elapsed before a sufficient number of pads was col-
lected as these are usually destroyed, but at last the members of the expe-
dition met at Stucx and set out under the guidance of the boy. When the
base of the mountain was reached, he pointed out the smoke rising from
the smumg’s house, but not one of them could see it. Half way up the slope
he again indicated the spot, but again it was invisible to all except him-
self. The saiumg heard the approach and came to the door of his house,
but the lad alone could see him. The animal flashed the power from his
eyes at the party, and all but the boy fell down, senseless; after a time
they recovered and continued their course, but again the smumg stunned
them with his eyes, though this time the effect lasted for a shorter period.
Alternate stupefaction and advance went on until the people were close to
the cave of the sg, who by this time could no longer affect them for the
boy had transmitted to his companions his own power, before which the
animal was helpless. They were now at the house, though the youth alone
could see it. Under his direction, the soiled clothing and other articles
were tied to resinous sticks and thrown as he indicated. The male smug
kept tossing these back, but though the villagers saw their missiles re-
turned, and used them again, they could not see the thrower. After a
time they heard a sound of choking. It was the death agony of the young
smug. They continued to hurl the burning weapons, and another gurg-
ling marked the death of the female; a final choking ultimately proclaimed
the death of the male. When all the noise had ceased, the boy opened the
door and saw all four animals lying dead. Some of the attackers recog-
nized objects on the walls which they themselves had placed in the coffins
of friends or relatives; this loot was taken back to the village, for return
toallclaimants. The four smug were skinned and their wavy pelts long
continued to be a source of pride to the village.

THE GRAVE ROBBER
(Second Version)

Once, long ago, a number of boys and girls, with a few adults, went ona
Picnic to a pleasant, open stretch of country, not far from Kimsquit. They
played for a time, had a meal of the food which they had brought with
them, and then began to tell stories about what happened to the dead.
An argument arose, and a brave young man offered to settle it by pre-