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In the days after
“Sowittan, or the Grumbler,” the people were so numerous that they
spread all over the land, till the hunting became scarce. The Cowichan,
Saanich, Kuper Island and Nanaimo people increased so rapidly that they
began to quarrel over their boundaries. They had also increased their
store of knowledge, and were becoming skilled in the art of shaping
paddles, weaving baskets, dressing skins, and making dresses from cedar
bark, which they wove into stout material for the purpose. The canoes
were still logs, but they began to use clam-shells to shape them with.
They were blunt at both ends, just like scows.
They also had wise men, who had power to foretell the future, and these
men were greatly troubled on account of certain dreams, which foretold
destruction of the people, if they were true. One man said, “I have
dreamed a strange thing,” and the others were eager to hear what he had
to say. "I dreamed that such rain fell that we all were drowned.”
“I,” said another, “dreamed that the river rose and flooded the place,
and we were all destroyed.”
“So did I,” chimed in another. “And I too.” They could not understand
what these dreams could mean; so they called a council to decide what
they had better do. At last they decided to build a huge raft of many
canoes tied together, the like of which was never seen before. So they
set to work, amidst the jeering of the people who would not believe in
these dreams. After many months they finished the raft and tied it with
long cedar-bark ropes and made a huge rope of cedar bark that could
reach the top of Cowichan Mountain, where they passed it through the
middle of a huge stone, to serve as the anchor. The stone is still
there, as a witness of the truth. They were a long time at work. At
length all was ready. The raft floated in Cowichan Bay, a wonderment to
all about. Not long afterwards the rain commenced. The drops were as
large as hailstones, and so heavy that they killed the little babies.
The river rose and all the valleys were covered. People took refuge in
the mountain, but that was soon under water. When the rain began, the
wise people, and the friends who believed, took their families and
placed them on the raft and took food and waited. By and by the raft
rose with the water, and was the only thing seen for many days. How
terrified they all were, and could not divine why this terrible calamity
had been sent for.
They prayed to the Great Spirit for help, but none came. As the rain
fell, they were kept busy bailing out the rain with their cedar-bark
bailers. At length the rain stopped, and they felt the waters going
down, and their raft rested on the top of Cowichan Mountain, being held
by the anchor and cedar rope. Then they saw land, but what desolation
met their eyes! How their hearts were wrung with anguish! It was
indescribable, but they took courage and landed, and went to where their
old homes had been. They began to rebuild the village and take up their
old life again. After this they increased rapidly, and soon filled their
lands with people. Then they quarrelled among themselves so bitterly
that they agreed to separate, and in this way was the world peopled. |
