The attitude of mingled hope and fear with which the
Bella Coola regard their supernatural anthropomorphic beings is typical of
their thoughts and actions concerning zoomorphic creatures as well. In the
supernatural world the dividing line between human and animal beings is
not clearly defined; fabulous monsters have the mentality of supermen, and
can be appeased, besought, or cajoled precisely as are anthropomorphic
beings. Like those in human form, supernatural animals can bestow good or
evil on human beings with whom they come into contact......(The boqs)
somewhat resembles a man, its hands especially, and the region around the
eyes being distinctly human. It walks on its hind legs, in a stooping
posture, its long arms swinging below the knees; in height it is rather
less than the average man. The entire body, except the face, is covered
with long hair, the growth being most profuse on the chest which is large,
corresponding to the great strength of the animal. The most peculiar
feature of the animal is its penis, which is so long that it must be
rolled up and carried in the arms when the creature is walking; it
terrifies its enemies by striking tree-trunks and breaking branches with
its uncoiled organ. It is said that a woman was once drawing water at the
edge of a stream when a boqs, concealed on the other shore, extended its
penis under the water to the further bank and held intercourse with her.
The contact rendered her powerless, as if turned to stone; she could
neither flee nor remove the organ. Her companions tried unsuccessfully to
cut the organ until one of them brought a salalberry leaf, whereupon the
monster, dreading its razor-like edge, withdrew.
The following stories illustrate, better than any other description, the
attitude of the Bella Coola toward these animals.
Not many years ago a certain Qaklis was encamped with his wife and child
in the Bay of the Thousand Islands, Altukwlaksos, about two miles above
Namu, one of the haunts of the boqs. He heard a number of the creatures in
the forest behind him and seized his gun, at the same time calling out to
them to go away. Instead, the breaking of branches and beating upon
tree-trunks came nearer. Becoming alarmed, he called out once more: "Go
away, or you shall feel my power." They still approached and Qaklis fired
in the direction of the sounds. There followed a wild commotion in the
forest, roars, grunts, pounding, and the breaking of branches. The hunter,
now thoroughly alarmed, told his wife and child to embark in the canoe
while he covered their retreat with his gun. He followed them without
molestation, and anchored his craft not far from shore. The boqs could be
heard plainly as they rushed to and fro on the beach, but only the vague
outlines of their forms were visible in the darkness.
Presently, though there was no wind, the canoe began to roll as if in a
heavy sea. Qaklis decided to flee to Restoration Bay, but before he had
gone far his paddle struck bottom, although he was in mid-channel. Looking
up, he saw that the mountains were higher than usual; the boqs had, by
their supernatural power, raised the whole area so that the water had been
almost entirely drained away. They are the only supernatural beings with
this power. Qaklis jumped overboard into the water which reached only to
his knees, and towed his canoe to Restoration Bay, the boqs following him
along the shore.
This is not the only occasion on which boqs have appeared near Restoration
Bay. Within the life-time of the father of an informant, a chief set out
with some friends from Kwatna, bound for Namu. They traveled overland to
Restoration Bay, thence by canoe, making the journey without incident.
When returning, they decided to gather clams on the rocky point of the
bay. As the craft shot around the tip of the promontory, they saw a boqs
gathering shellfish. The paddlers backed their canoe behind some rocks
whence they could watch without being seen. The creature acted as if
frightened, it kept looking backwards, then hurriedly scraped up some
clams with its forepaws, dashed off with these into the forest, and came
back for more. The chief decided to attack the animal. A frontal approach
was impossible owing to the lack of cover, so he landed and crept
stealthily through the forest, armed with his Hudson's Bay Company's
musket. Presently he stumbled upon a heap of clams which the animal had
collected. He waited until it returned with another load, then raised his
musket and fired. Instead of killing the boqs, its supernatural power was
so great that the hunter's musket burst in his hands, though he himself
was not injured. The boqs shrieked and whistled as if in anger, and at
once hordes of its mates came dashing out through the forest. The
frightened chief rushed out on the beach and called to his comrades to
save him. They brought the canoe close to the shore so that he could
clamber aboard, and then paddled away unharmed.
The Bella Coola believe that the boqs, unlike most supernatural animals,
have not abandoned the country since the coming of the white man. One man
was most insistent that they still lived on King Island, and promised to
point one out if a visit were made to that spot. This man refuses to camp
at the place where he affirmed, boqs are common. Another informant stated
that though he had never seen one of the monsters, a horde of them
surrounded his camp near Canoe Crossing for a week. Every night he heard
them roaring and beating on trees and branches. A curious blending of old
and new beliefs was recorded in connection with this statement. This man
remarked that once he was gathering firewood when he heard the creatures
closing in on him. His head swam with terror, until he remembered he was a
Christian; he called on Jesus to help him, grasped his axe, and dashed
towards the place from which the loudest sounds were coming. He heard the
animals moving off all around him, but failed to see any of them.
Boqs have been heard as recently as 1924 according to popular belief. In
January of that year a number of young Bella Coola were returning home in
a motor-boat from Ocean Falls. They camped for the night on Burke Channel,
and were alarmed to hear a crashing of bushes and a beating on
tree-trunks. Thoroughly frightened, they directed the beams of several
electric torches in the direction of the sounds without avail and at last
started the engine of their motor-boat, the noise of which frightened the
animals away.
