THE ANCIENT ONE 37

Here we meet a white bear and follow it, as was
foretold in the dream I had. Here we find the cave.
Here we go in and find the Ancient Ones. Here we run
out, horribly frightened. Here we return with the
others of the tribe and build fires of blubber to scare
away the bears. Here the others are carrying pieces of
ivory from the cave.

“That is the story of the discovery of the Ancient
Ones,” Quahl concluded, “just as Loo the Carver
tells it to you. I could not have etched these scenes
upon this piece of ivory; no Haida could have done
such work. It is an art of which we know nothing. It
is upon our totem poles that we Haidas leave records
of events; the people in the Northland leave them
upon pieces of ivory like this. Do you believe my
story?” .

“We believe it, my son,” the old chief assured him,
handing the long piece of ivory to the others. “No
Haida ever carved little lifelike figures like that. It
is the work of a strange tribe. This amazing animal is
the Ancient One, without a doubt.’”” Once more he
took the little figure Quahl had brought, and turned
it round and round, while Kinna looked over his fa-
ther’s shoulder, staring wide-eyed at this creature
with two tails.

“Where was the cave of the Ancient Ones?”
Quahl’s mother asked.

“Tt is a long story,” said Quahl. “Shall I tell it
now?”