194 THE BIG CANOE

as they fought there in the churning waters could
be heard for miles. Teka could see one huge whale
plowing through the water not far from the fisher-
men. He glimpsed the black fin of a shark, also, glid-
ing along behind a returning canoe, and he was glad
to be safe on land.

The slave lad shivered as the icy wind which blew
down the Nass pierced his ragged furs and chilled
him to the bone. For a moment he longed for the
warm lodges back in the Haida village. But only for
a moment. Like every other Indian, he loved the ex-
citement of the fishing season at the famous food
depot. There was no other time like it. Here friend
honored friend with feasts and ancient ceremonies
of friendship; here enemy met enemy and settled
old grudges in bloody combat; here tribe met tribe,
exchanging news and trading with one another.

All the Northern tribes gathered on the Nass River
for several weeks every spring when the olachen fish
returned from their distant feeding-grounds to spawn
far up this famous stream. Some bought the right to
fish for olachen from the Niskas, who owned the
land on both banks of the river. Others bartered for
the precious grease that was extracted from the fat
little fish. So highly was this grease valued by all the
tribes, who used it in preserving fruits and berries
and for cooking all sorts of foods, that blankets, ca-
noes, furs, and other things, as well as slaves and