22. The Underground People

22. THE UNDERGROUND PEOPLE.

There was a village in Coos (Bay) called Baltiasa. The people (had) underground houses. Way (down) inside these underground (houses were). The people were big, p. 137 tall. Their fish-poles (were) big. Whatever they caught (hung on their poles), they would swing it far. Whenever they played, they would go down into the water. Whenever .(some one) dove in (from) there, he would come out on the other side, and would crawl just like a snake. About one mile they would dive, and would come back the same (distance). They made stone pots, and they used to float stones. They would talk loud. Thus the stones would not sink. If (one) does not talk loud, the stone sinks. They would place rocks on the top of their heads, and walk in (inside of) the water. That way they would gather oysters. This was their food. When they would float a rock and stand there (on it), the rock would not sink. They would float small feathers, (stand on them), and they would not sink. Carbuncles were their hats. They would make knives out of large bones. They used to turn over their carbuncle hats. They used to hit one another with bone knives. They would not hurt one another. Thus they would practise.

They (were) bad people. All the other people feared them. (No matter) how many (of) all (the other) people (there were), just as many (of) the Baltiasa would follow them. And they would abuse them. The people did not like them any longer. And the people talked about them. "Suppose (we) drive them away." They made two rafts, and they went down the river on them. They watched (them) from both sides. They followed them behind. They shot arrows at them. They came to the mouth of the river. And they were on the lookout. And the current took the rafts out into the ocean. They dropped anchor for a while. They poured seal-oil (grease) over the water, and the waves died down. There (was) no wind. And when evening came, one raft went (over the water) to the north, and one raft went to the south. One raft was p. 139 (making) lightning, the one that went north. Thus people know it. No one knows where they went.