Traditions of the Thompson River Indians (cont.)
Some time afterwards the Coyote went to the mountains to watch the magpie111 and learn his methods of hunting. The latter had set a net-snare112close by his underground lodge. He went up the mountains, singled out a large buck deer, which he teased, and called names, such as, "big posterior," "hairy posterior," "short-tail." The buck at last grew angry and charged the Magpie, who ran away. He just kept a little ahead of the buck, so as to encourage him, and led him right into the snare, in which his antlers stuck fast, whilst the Magpie jumped113 over it, and, turning round, stabbed the entangled buck to death. The Coyote made up his mind that he would do as the Magpie had done. So he placed a net-snare close by his house, and, going up the mountains, soon fell in with a buck deer, whom he commenced to belittle and slander, calling him all kinds of nasty names, just as the Magpie had done. The buck grew angry, charged the Coyote, who made for home, where his snare was, with the buck close after him. On reaching the net, the Coyote tried to jump over114 it, but failed to do so. He fell into the net and became entangled in it. Then the buck began to prod him with his antlers, and would have killed him if the people had not run out and prevented it by killing the buck.115
II. QOA’QLQAL116
[Nkamtci'nemux.]
The Qoa'qlqal were three brothers117 who came upfrom the country of the S'a'tcinko118 at the mouth of the Fraser River (probably they came from a greater distance,119 but they are known at all events to have followed up Fraser River from its mouth) and entered the Nlaka'pamux country from below. The youngest brother was the most gifted in magic. He was stout, and short of stature. They did many wonderful things along Fraser River and throughout the Uta'mqt country, changing people into fishes and also into stones. They also left their footprints and other signs in many places where they traveled, and it is said created all the water-springs over the country. A short distance below Lytton they met Kokwe'1a,120 whom they tried to overcome with their magic, thinking that they could easily get the best of him, and have some fun at his expense; but he defeated them in everything. After this meeting they followed up the Thompson River, where they found the country inhabited by the Coyote people. Then they came to a place called Zixazix.121 There they met Tcu’i'sqa’lemux, a man gifted with magic, who lived with his wife122 in an underground lodge. He lived by eating people and by fishing. When they saw Tcu’i’sqa’lemux spearing salmon from the bank of the river, the youngest brother said, "I will turn myself into a salmon, and carry away his spear-head." He jumped into the water, and came up in the shape of a large salmon close to where theman was standing. He speared him, and the salmon escaped with the spearhead. Tcu'i'sqa'lemux was very sorry, because it was his only spear-head. He went home, and lay down without saying a word. The three brothers then went to his house. Tcu’I’sqa’lemux’s wife, upon seeing them, said, "Do not come here! My husband eats men." But they paid no heed, and went closer. One of them showed her the spear-head, and said, "We found this." The woman said, "That is my husband's spear-head. He will be glad to get it." They delivered it to him and sat down. Tcu’I’sqa’lemux told his wife to cook a meal123 for them in her basket.124 She did so, and when ready set before them a very small basket full of food, giving them very large spoons made of mountain stag's horn to sup with. They said to her, "Why do you give us such a small amount? We can take that at one spoonful." But her husband said they could not finish it. They laughed at them, and commenced to sup, but were soon satisfied, and the food was apparently undiminished. Tcu’I’sqa’lemux then sat down, and took it all in one spoonful. They were angry at this, and went away. Shortly after this Tcu’I’sqa’lemux went to the bank of the river to spear fish. When they saw him, they kicked down a mountain on him, causing the present mud-slide or slipping mountain at this place; but when the dust cleared away, he was still standing there. This they did four times with like result.125 Then they took revenge by turning into stone his house and basket,126 which are to be seen there at the present day.
The Qoa’qlqal traveled on, and a little above Zixazix they saw a Coyote family carrying dried fish to put into their cellar. These they turned into stone. Moreover, the pile of dried salmon, the children standing around it, and the cellar close by, may all be seen there at the present day.127
Now they reached a small island in Thompson River, situated immediately underneath Ca'nexanenemax128 Mountain, camped there for the night, and lighted a fire. Here an altercation ensued between them, the two elder men making fun of the youngest, and making light of his powers of magic. When he was asleep, they took his beaver-shin headband, and threw it into the fire with the intention of burning it. But the fire did not touch it. When the youngest brother awoke in the morning, he found his headband in the fire, and accordingly was very wroth with his brothers. He told them that he would now show them the extent of his powers by drowning them. Then he pulled the headband out of the fire, and immediately the water in the river began to rise, causing the other two brothers to flee for refuge to the mountain Ca'nexanenemax, which they began to climb, trying to escape the fast rising water.
