(From SEmali tsa, a Nlak'apamux'o'e woman from Styne Creek.)
114. Tradition of Simon Fraser's Visit in 1808.
(cont.) He was called this because of some kind of shining emblem he wore on his hat or cap, which resembled the Symbol of the Sun. The Indians applied names to most of the strangers. It was taken from some feature of their appearance or from certain marks or
emblems on their clothing. After leaving Lytton, at some place close to Li'ska, one of their canoes was swamped in a rapid, and some of the men were saved with difficulty, after having been some time in the water. They proceeded down Fraser River, returned again during the time of the salmonrun; and after resting at Lytton, they continued up Fraser- River to some place beyond the northern Shuswap country, from where they had come.
Many people saw them again on their return journey, as they were then assembling on the rivers for salmon-fishing. Probably more people saw them when they came back than when they went down. Some Indians thought they were just people from a far country and of a different race, for they had heard vague rumors of the strange people with guns, who, it was expected, might find their way to this country some time ; but very many people thought they were beings spoken of in tales of the mythological period, who had taken a notion to travel again over the earth; and they often wondered what object they had in view; and what results would follow. They believed their appearance foreboded some great change or events of prime importance to the Indians, but in what way they did not know.The next appearance of similiar people in the Thompson country was about a generation later, when a large canoe manned by people like half-breeds and, Indians, and having a white chief on board, came down Thompson River1. They stopped a short time at Spences Bridge, where Tcuie'ska and many other Indians ( Now nearly all dead) saw them. Some of the crew had long hair, like Indians, and most of them wore blue and white hooded coats with bright buttons. They did not create much surprise, however, as it was known that they were Hudson Bay men from the fort Kamloops. After that no white men appeared at Lytton until lately, when the great crowd came after gold, in 1858, and along with them the Chinese ( the following year), who as the Indians thought at first, were the women to the whites. Since then there have been whites with us constantly. The priests did not arrive until several years later, the first ones being the black robes ( Catholics) whom we have heard of before; but they left us after a time, and then the present kind of priests came(Anglicans). The Indians need not trouble about their lands or anything else, for since the whites came we have been dying off steadily, and before long there will be no Indians left, and the whites will have everything to themselves.
1 Probably Govenor Simpson, on his journey from Fort Thompson or Kamloops to Fort Langley, in October 1828
