She called out," A mountain sheep must have fallen here and killed itself." The other women went to the place, and began gathering up the meat. At last they came some human heads and hands, etc., and became alarmed, they went home and told the men, who searched the place, and found the mangled remains of the strange warriors. The rocks were fairly covered with blood, intestines, parts of limbs, broken weapons, feathers, and down. By counting the heads, they found that the war party must have been large. All the faces were painted half and half in black, white, or red. Now the people were afraid, and said, " We must leave this place. It is not safe. War partied will come some day and kill us." All left except the Sucker, who said," I will stay here. It is a fine place, and suits me exactly." Therefore suckers are numerous at this place, and people go there and kill them in large numbers. The rest of the fishes travelled south. Coming to a valley, the Tsokpmu's said," I will stay here." He dammed up the creek, and made a lake in which he lived. This place became known as Koxkoxottce'sxen, and tsokomu's fish are now plentiful there. The people continued to travel until all had selected suitable abodes, except the Ntcatcai'na fish, who said, "I will go to the south side of the Columbia River, and live there." He settled in a place called Late'us: Therefore none of these fish are now found north of Columbia River. Thus the Okanagon Fish people all dispersed. The old Bald Headed Eagle returned home, and related the fate of his people.
72a. The Girl and the Dog1
This story is told in the same way as in the "Traditions of the Thompson River Indians," pg.62.
72b. The Girl and the Dog2
A girl was visited by a young man every night, and at last gave away to his importunities. But although he thus lay with her, she could not find out who he was. One night she rubbed red paint on the palms of her hands, and, when he lay in her embracem she pressed her hands firmly on his back. The next morning early she went to were the young men played gamed, thinking she would see the man she had marked, and thus identify him. She looked in vain, however, and and at last saw her father's dog with the imprint of her hands on his back. Overcome with shame, she went home and refused to talk or eat. Soon afterwards she gave birth to two pups,- on male and the other female. Her friends and all the people were so ashamed that they moved camp to a distant place, and left her to starve. She lived the best way she could, and her children grew very fast. Before long she discovered, that, when she left them to procure food, they took human form, but, as soon as they were aware of her return, they changed back to dogs again. Accordingly she prepared some medicine1 with which to transform them, and one night approached the lodge unobserved. She peered in, and saw them playing around the fire in human form. They had cast aside their outer sins. Now she threw the medicine on them, but it struck the boy only; and the girl, rushing to her skin, became a dog again. Soon after this the boy commenced to hunt and shoot small game; and his mother told him to let the dog follow him, and not to beat it. He did not know that the dog was his sister. Wherever he went, she followed him, and, whenever he shot anything, she always ran ahead and devoured it. One day he shot a red-headed woodpecker, and the dog ate it before he could reach the spot. He became very angry, and beat her with a stick. Then the dog changed into the golden plover (skwakwa'), ran away and cried, “Kwa kwa, I am your sister; hunt me now.” The lad was now sorry, and followed his sister, imploring her to come back; but she flew away and disappeared.
73. Grisly Bear's Grandchild; or, Spetlamu'lax.2
(Nkamtci'nEmux.)Grisly Bear3 lived with her daughter,4 who was a good-looking maiden. No other people lived in the neighborhood. Every morning when the girl went to the watering-place to fetch water, she washed herself. Now King Salmon5 and Humpback Salmon6 were brothers, who lived a long distance away in the land of fishes. They said to one another, “Let us go and obtain Grisly Bears daughter for our wife.” They took their canoe, and after a few days arrived at the place were the girl bathed. Here they made themselves invisible, and waited.
Soon the girl came down to fetch water. She took off her clothes, and swam in the water. Then she came ashore and began to louse her robe. While thus engaged, King Salmon asked her what she was doing. She looked
1. Compare Uta'maqt, pp287 of this volume: Traditions of the Thompson River Indians.pp62; and notes ibid p.114; also L. Farrand, Traditions of the Chilicotin Indians, Vol II of this series, p7;
1. A decoction of herbs.
2. Compare this story with that of Dawson. in his Notes on the Shuswap People, p. 34, and with Traditions of the Thompson River Indians, p. 64. Marten and Fisher, p. 77, Tciski'kik, Creation of Coyote's Son, p. 21, and with Shuswap tradition of the Grisly Bear's Grandchildren P. 691.
3. Grisly Bear is said by some to have had several husbands, whom she got rid of by transferring them to the upper world.
4. Some say this girl was the daughter of the old man Spetlamu'lax; others say Grisly Bear created her in the same manner as Coyote created his son. - first one of clay, then one of gum, then one of stone, and finally one of wood or bark. The girl was the last one made, and neither water nor sun could affect her.
5. Kwoi'a.
6. He’ni.
