THE LOST SALMON RUN

portance of a child that will some day be a
mother herself, and give to your children and
grandchildren a Great Tyee? Are the people
to live, to thrive, to increase, to become more
powerful with no mother-women to bear
future sons and daughters? Your minds are
dead, your brains are chilled. Still, even in
your ignorance, you are my people: you and
your wishes must be considered. I call to-
gether the great medicine men, the men of
witchcraft, the men of magic. They shall de-
cide the laws which will follow the bearing
of either boy or girl-child. What say you, oh!
mighty men?’

“Messengers were then sent up and down
the coast, sent far up the Fraser River, and
to the valley lands inland for many leagues,
gathering as they journeyed all the men of
magic that could be found. Never were so
many medicine men in council before. They
built fires and danced and chanted for many
days. They spoke with the gods of the moun-
tains, with the gods of the sea, then ‘the
power’ of decision came to them. They were
inspired with a choice to lay before the tribes-
people, and the most ancient medicine man in
all the coast region arose and spoke their
resolution:

“ ‘The people of the tribe cannot be allowed
to have all things. They want a boy-child

35

-—-«j.:-——— -n - V ""‘

.5 , ,,. “J.

--...-

__:,_.. -