40. SIMON FRASER'S VISIT IN 1808.
(Told by Wa'xtko,1 a Woman of Spences Bridge.)When Kwolina'ul2 came to Lytton, Tcexe'x was chief of the Spences Bridge band. He was a prominent chief and a great orator. He had one eye. He never practiced as a shaman, but was more powerful than most shamans. I am directly descended from him. He had a large family and was an elderly man at the time when these whites came to Lytton. It was in midsummer. The berries were just ripe in the river-valley; and many of the tribe were assembled at Botani, digging roots and playing games. Some Thompson men, who had been up at La Fontaine on horseback, came back quickly with the news of the approach of these people. Tcexc'x was at Botani with others from Spences Bridge. He hurried down to Lytton, and was there when the whites arrived. The chief of the latter we called "Sun." We did not know his name. Several chiefs made speeches to him, but Tcexe'x made the greatest speech. His speech so pleased Sun, that he gave him a present of a large silver brooch, or some other similar ornament, which he had on his person. On special occasions Tcexe'x used this attached to his hair in front, or on the front of his head. When I was a girl, I saw it worn by his sons. One of his sons inherited it; on his death, his brother obtained it; and it was probably buried with the third brother who had it, as it disappeared about the time of his death. The last-named died at Lytton as an elderly man, and his body was buried on the north side of the Thompson River, at Drynoch, about seven miles below Spences Bridge.
II. OKANAGON TALES,3 BY JAMES A. TEIT.
I. COYOTE TALES.
(I) COYOTE.4
COYOTE was sent by Chief to set the world in order. Chief saw that the people were having a hard time and were preyed upon by many evil beings. They were about to be killed off. Chief did not want the people to be exterminated, so he sent Coyote to help them. He endowed him with great magical power, so that he could surmount all obstacles. He gave him power to transform evil beings, and he gave him wisdom and cunning. He also gave to Coyote's excrements the power to be his friends and advisers. He told him to travel all over the world and to set it right. Coyote had to travel much and to work hard. Chief said that when Coyote's work was finished, he would meet him, see his work, and then give him a rest.
1 Born about 1830, or slightly later; died in 1912 near Spences Bridge.
2 Means "birch-bark canoe," a common name for Simon Fraser's party.
3 Unless stated otherwise, the following Okanagon stories (except 2b, 3b, and 7) were related by Red-Arm (Kwelkwelta'xen). He was an old man who belonged to Nespelim, which is also the name of the western division of the Sanpoil. He was related to the Okanagon, and frequently came as far north as the head of Okanagon Lake. He said the stories he related were common to the Nespelim and Lower Okanagon of Okanagon River, and he thought probably to all the Sanpoil; i.e., to the Canpoil tribe, and to that part of the Okanagon tribe on the Okanagon River, particularly those living in the United States.
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