The Tsimshian ("people inside the Skeena River") of northern British Columbia were divided into three groups: the Tsimshian proper, around the mouth of the Skeena River; the Gitksan, farther up the Skeena; and the Niska, who inhabited the basin of the Nass (Niska) River. Owing to their geographical location, the Niska and the Gitksan devoted more time to the hunting of land mammals (particularly mountain goats and bears) than the Tsimshian proper, who directed their energy to halibut fishing, and the hunting of seals, sea lions and sea otters among the islands off the coast. Nevertheless, all three groups depended mainly on the incredible numbers of salmon that migrated each year up the rivers, and towards the end of winter all three gathered at the various eulachon fishing stations along the Nass River. (IC)

"How the Tsimshian know that Animals have Crests"

Many years ago, among the very ancient people, they would hunt for sea otter and fur seals, which took them far out to the sea where they saw many strange things and strange beings. This is what happened to four great hunters who saw a great battle between the giant devilfish [octopus] and the blackfish [killerwhale]. These hunters were away out to sea hunting the sea otter and fur seals and went to an island for shelter and rest. While these men camped here, they knew it to be the abode of the giant devilfish who had taken many canoes, destroying many people. Soon, a large blackfish, with a hole in its fin to distinguish it, came along to where the giant devilfish lived and it dove under and was gone a long time. The large blackfish came floating up to the surface of the water which was covered with blood and drifted about. Another blackfish came upon the floating body of the dead blackfish and then it turned about and swam away. This dead blackfish was the prince of the blackfish and when one of his fellow blackfish saw it, it turned about to tell all the other blackfish in the world of what had happened to their prince. When the chief of the blackfish knew what had happened to his nephew he at once summoned all the blackfish from all over the world. These came to the great chief blackfish Chief's house who told them, "We must retaliate and kill the devilfish. It has been a menace to all having killed many people and taken down many canoes. It has killed my nephew who was to be my successor and I want revenge. This devilfish must be killed or we will all be killed off."

Not long after the death of the prince of blackfish, when these four hunters were camping, a constant storm began blowing, making it impossible for the people to hunt. These four men watched the approaching blackfish, knowing that now there would be war. The great number of blackfish circled about where the abode of the giant devilfish was. This devilfish was a huge one and many times it would emerge from the water and wave its many limbs in the air. Its huge body often resembled an island thus enticing to come to it as if it were a shelter. The blackfish all gathered together in four groups and at once the four hunters recognised the fact that these were four crests, just the same as the four clans among the human beings. Each group had different markings on their fins to distinguish them from the other groups. Each of the group seemed to have its own leader. All the while the blackfish were jumping and diving in the water as if they were challenging the giant devilfish to make an appearance so they could battle it. But this never came about. The devilfish would not come out to challenge.

The blackfish realised that they must change their tactics. One of the leaders had the Eagle markings in its fin, a fin with several white rings on it representing the stick gnawed by the beaver. First one warrior jumped out of the water and dove down. It was gone a long while and floated up dead. The second went down into the water and then another, until the last of the Eagle blackfish dove down. It was gone a long while and finally came up. Around it was one of the arms of the giant devilfish. Now the Killerwhale chief of the blackfish led his warriors, marked by a short squat fin with a hole in it. Their leader dove down and was followed by another of the same group. Then another went down. Soon several blackfish came floating up and the water was red with blood, but there also was one more arm of the giant devilfish that had come up. Then the Wolf group of the blackfish came forward and had a fin which resembled a tail of the wolf. This chief sprang about, and with others of his group they dove down and were gone along while. Finally one of them floated up dead, and more of the blackfish dove down and more floated up. The last of the m dove down to help their leader, who had not as yet reappeared; they were gone a long while and the sea was full of blood. Soon the Wolf leader of the blackfish and his followers came up, dead, but wrapped around the leader were three limbs of the monster devilfish.

There were still a number of limbs and only the Raven crest of the blackfish remained. These were distinguished from the others by their fin shaped as a raven's beak. The Chief of the Blackfish now called on the Raven blackfish group saying, "Only your group is left, if we are to be victorious over the monster devilfish." The leader of this group jumped up, "I will go alone and battle the monster," he said. Then he jumped out of the water and dove down. He was gone for a long while and there was much blood coming to the surface of the water. The leader blackfish came up and wrapped around its body was a large limb of the giant devilfish. When the leader had rested a while, it dove down into the waters to again attack the giant devilfish and this time he was gone for much longer. Again there was much more blood coming from the surface devilfish's den and after a great while the Raven blackfish came to the surface. He was in a very weak condition but he had another arm of the giant devilfish around his body. The Raven group of the blackfish were very happy as their leader had brought up to limbs and was slowly regaining his strength. All of the other blackfish were swimming about him and some were jumping out of the water. It appeared to the watching hunters that the blackfish were dancing about their leader. Soon the Raven blackfish leader began to move about and gave one great leap form the water and dove down. In all there were five limbs from the giant devilfish got by the other clans and two by the lone Raven leader of the blackfish group. This time the leader was gone a long while, much longer than before, and there was much more blood. Soon, in a nearly dead condition, the leader of the Raven blackfish came to the surface; he had around him another limb of the giant devilfish.

It took a long while for the blackfish Raven leader to revive and he did not regain his strength until the next day. But early in the morning, just as it was breaking day, these Tsimshian hunters saw the leader was making preparations to dive down to battle the giant devilfish for the final confrontation. Soon the great lone warrior blackfish leaped out of the water and made a big splash as it dove down in a fury. It was gone a long time and again blood appeared at the water's surface. After nearly being gone all day, the people saw first a large slimy mass coming to the surface; it was the huge devilfish, the monster which had for ages been taking down canoes and people. It was dead as also was the blackfish leader of the Raven group. Wrapped around it was the last limb of the giant devilfish and the blackfish Raven leader died with ultimate honour and glory. This is how the giant devilfish was killed by all of the four crests of the blackfish people. That is why the people knew that animals have crests as human beings do.