WARFARE 377

a piece of dry and dirty salmon, and a few dried-up berries. The Bella
Bella laughed uproariously at this exposure of their guests’ diet.

The Rivers Inlet people, deeply insulted, said nothing at the time, but
determined to repay the insult. When next they invited the Bella Bella
to a potlatch, a similar performance was carried out with a masked
dancer. When asked what he ate at Bella Bella, he drew forth some raw
mussels and a lean crow, a bird which feeds largely on such shell-fish.

Insult was repaid with insult, and every year the abuse became more
and more pointed, till the climax was reached at Rivers Inlet. A masked
dancer appeared, disguised as a thin man who coughed persistently in a
distressing, though amusing manner. After the usual questions, he said
that he came from Bella Bella, and when asked his name, replied with
that of a distinguished Bella Bella chief. The man was dying of con-
sumption and had, therefore, been unable to attend the potlatch. This
insult so angered the Bella Bella guests that they left immediately.

On returning home, a council was held and immediate war-like action
was determined upon. In their extreme anger, they even decided to dis-
regard the safe-conduct granted to potlatch guests, and to take their
enemies by surprise. Envoys were sent to invite the Rivers Inlet men
to a ceremony of this kind and, hard on their heels, a war-party set out
to ambush their guests. The Rivers Inlet people accepted the invitation
although one man suspected treachery from the demeanour of the envoys;
this was considered impossible, so he was laughed to scorn and the party
set out. The Bella Bella had expected that their guests would camp
for the night at Qwagmai or Schooner Pass, and it was here that they had
concealed themselves. Suspecting no danger, the Rivers Inlet people
landed and were pitching camp when their treacherous hosts burst from
cover and attacked. Taken unaware, they could offer no real resistance
and only two or three escaped death. The spot has since been known as
Slaughter Cove. The man who had suspected attack had refused to
leave his canoe and so escaped the first onslaught, but he foolishly at-
tracted attention by calling out:

“You are dogs to break a sacred law and attack those whom you have
invited to a potlatch.”

He was in his canoe at the time, and paddled away, thinking himself
safe. Three craft were sent after him, he was overtaken and killed.

The above account seems to include mythical elements,
and it is probable that the cause stated for the attack is of that
nature. It was emphasized, however, that the actual fight
took place as late as 1860, and was one of the last serious
Struggles on the coast.