113. Account of the Lytton Chiefs.
(Nkamtci'nEmux.)
(cont.)On special occasions he had as many as thirty or forty. Many young men liked to go
with him on journeys, as he always supplied them liberally with food, gave them many small presents, and there was always plenty of display and amusement. Once he went to visit Chief Paul at Kamloops, and the two chiefs met each other with much ceremony and salutes of fire-arms1 and drum beating. In later days Cexpe'nt1Em was, baptized by the Anglican priests of the Lytton Mission, and was appointed chief in church affairs over the bands immediately above Lytton, another man being appointed - by them as chief at
Lytton. He was neve. very satisfactory to them, however, as he, was getting old and could not learn all their prayers ; and, besides, he remained an inveterate gambler up to the time of his death. He never took a great interest in church affairs; and at the time of his death had lost most of his power, ' and was possessed of very little property. He died about 1888, when most of 'the' Indians were at Bota'ni, and a great number of people attended his
funeral and' the paying-off ceremony. He was over seventy years of age at the time of his death. ' Cexpe'ntlEm's father was chief when the Hudson Bay chief (probably Governor Simpson, in October, 1828) came down the Thompson in a canoe, and they exchanged presents at Lytton. His father was not as noted a man, however, as his grandfather, who was chief when the canoe came down Fraser River, and who met the Sun at Lytton.3 His name was Imentcu'tEn, or Yementcu'tEn; and it is said that he was such a great orator, he could make people cry, laugh, or do almost anything he wished. He was also a peacemaker and very much opposed to war. Once a very large party of Shuswap came down Fraser River to make war on the Thompson people of Lytton and neighborhood. They failed, however, to surprise the Thompson, who gathered and prepared to give them battle on the east side of Fraser River, two or three miles above Lytton. Meanwhile the alarm had spread up Fraser River, and the men from the west side had crossed and were prepared to intercept the Shuswap and to cut off their retreat. The Shuswap found themselves hemmed in by the river to the west, rough mountains to the east, a large force of enemies north of them on higher ground, and a larger force advancing on them from the south. Finding themselves thus entrapped, they prepared to fight, dividing their party into two lines, _ one facing each of the opposing armies. The Thompson parties were just getting within range, and exchange of arrows had begun, when Imentcu'tEn arrived on the scene, and, heedless of danger, rushed out between the opposing parties and harangued them 'to desist. Presently both parties stopped fighting and1 This custom was prnbably copied from the Hudson Hay Company, who where in the hahit of eluting -with fin-arms the approach tn their forts of the governors and other dignitaries. 2 Simon Fraser, on his trip down Fraser River in 18o8.
