113. Account of the Lytton Chiefs.
(Nkamtci'nEmux.)
(cont.)Their advice and speeches always commanded a great deal of attention. Cexpe'ntlEm had been chief a number of years, and was still in his prime when the whites came to the country (in 1858). Through his mother he had both Lillooet and Shuswap blood in his veins. His father was a pure Thompson Indian. about the time when he became chief, or shortly before that, the Upper Thompsons made their last political war expedition against the Lillooet, whom they killed in great numbers. Upon their return, one of the warriors made a great exhibition at Lytton, and boasted of his exploits. Cexpe'ntlEm was annoyed at the derogatory terms that he applied to the Liilooet, slapped him in the face, and rebuked
him in scathing language before the assembled people. He was always a peacemaker, and opposed to wars, fights, and quarrels of any kind; . He liked to see a good wrestling-match, however, and always bet on his own men in Intertribal wrestling-matches. Cexpe'ntlEm was a very wealthy man, and ' owned a large number of horses at a time when most of the Indians had none. He also had a number of wives(''Shortly after he had become chief, he called a gathering of the tribe of Lytton, and slaughtered many horses to feast them. ,At this gathering he told the people that he was altogether opposed to wars, and declared his intention of going to visit the Lake Liilooet and of making perpetual peace with them. The Thompson Indians had been fighting those people for very many years, and at that time held many Liilooet Indians captives. Cexpe'ntlEm travelled through the country of his own tribe and also through a considerable part of the neighboring Shuswap and Okanagon
territory, buying up all the Liilooet slaves. Only a very few remained who did not wish to return to their country, - possibly less than ten altogether.After he had come back to Lytton, he loaded many horses with food and resents. With a small number of his own men, he started for the Lillooet country. His people told him he was foolish to take so few men along, saying that the Lillooet would attack them when they saw such a small company, and by killing them would try to pay off old scores.! When the Lillooet saw the Thompson Indians approaching, they took up arms and prepared to fight ; but Cexpe'ntlEm went out alone to them, and soon persuaded them to lay down their arms and to receive the party. Cexpe'ntlEm stayed there several days, and a large number of Lillooet assembled. He told them that he had come there to put an end to war between his own tribe and them, and as surely of this he had brought to them all their people who had been slaves in his tribe. These he had bought up at much expense and now he gave them their freedom and returned them to their country and The Lillooet chiefs made a fire, and they and the Thompsons sat around it and smoked before the people, first out of Cexpe'ntlEm's pipe, and then out of the leading Lillooet chief's pipe. This was symbolic of their being friends, having one fire and one food.
