Traditions of the Thompson River Indians (cont.)
They reached the top, looked about, and saw that the water, still rapidly rising, was surrounding the mountain. Now it had almost reached them, whilst away below they could see their younger brother sitting by the camp-fire, the waters standing back from him on every side, and the smoke ascending from the fire, and emerging from the top of the opening, as if it were coming out of a deep hole. Soon the water overflowed the top of the mountain, and the two men took refuge in a tall poplar-tree129 which grew close by. They began to cry on their younger brother to have mercy on them, telling him that they were now well aware of his superiority in magic. The young man then put his beaver-skin headband on his head, and immediately the water began to recede, so that it soon recovered its normal level. After this the three were good friends, and went on their way as before. They continued their journey, and on the next morning, they saw a Coyote who was sweat-bathing. They turned his sweat-house into stone.130 A little farther on, they met a Coyote and his wife, cooking food131 in their basket or kettle. They turned into stone the basket, and the stones used for heating the water, and also tried to metamorphose the Coyote and his wife, but were not able to do so, owing to the too powerful magic of these people. Eventually they were compelled to take flight. They managed, however, to turn parts of the body of both the Coyote and his wife132 into stone, which may be seen at the present day, with the basket at a little distance. They took revenge on the Coyote for making them flee by breaking down his weir, which extended across the river at Tsale'qamux,133 a little distance upstream. The remains of the weir is what forms the bar across the river and the rapid at that place at the present day.
Once134 when the Coyote was away from home, the Qoa'qlqal passed by his house, and, finding his wife there alone, they threw her into the fire of the lodge, where she was consumed. When the Coyote came home again, he missed her, and looked for her. He was unable to find her, and said, "Where are you, wife?" And she answered from the center of the fire, "Take me away from here. I am almost finished." Then the Coyote knew what had befallen his wife. He became very angry and said, "I will not help you!" Afterwards he was very sorry because he had no wife, for he felt very lonely. Therefore the Qoa'qlqal transformed the birch and the alder trees into women, and sent them to the Coyote to become his wives.
It is not known how far the Qoa'qlqal went, or the exact route135 they pursued through the country; but it is known that they penetrated a long distance into the Thompson country, and also traveled through the Buonaparte, Similkameen, and Nicola valleys. In the upper part of Nicola they turned the Coyote's underground lodge into stone,136 and also a party of men who were going out hunting. These may still be seen standing in Indian file in the same position as when transformed. It is said that they turned an elk137 which was lying down, and a pack of fir branches,138 into stone on the Upper Similkameen River, and also some children who were tobogganing down a mountain side.139 When they had traveled over most of the country to the south, they returned, and went up the Buonaparte River and Hat Creek, intending to reach Fraser River.
Not far from the mouth of Hat Creek they had a trial of strength. There was a very large rock on the ground at that place, which in a manner barred their progress. They proposed to lift it on their heads,140 and place it some distance to the side. The two elder brothers tried it, but failed. The youngest one then lifted it, but in doing so the stone slipped down over the upper part of his head. After putting the stone where he wanted it, he withdrew, leaving a large impression of his head and of the bridge of his nose, which may be seen at the present day. Shortly afterwards they came to the lake called Tcexpa'tkwetn,141 close to the shores of which were situated the houses of the Eagle and the Skunk, who lived by killing and devouring people. The bones of their victims were in large heaps close to their houses, and the rocks in many places were colored with the blood of those whom they had slaughtered. The lake itself was of four colors, white, red, green, and blue. These were caused by the discharge of the Skunk's obnoxious fluid across the lake when killing his victims. These cannibals the brothers metamorphosed into the common Eagle and the Skunk.142
They continued their journey towards Fraser River; but when going over a mountain above S'qwa'i1ox,143 and about to cross a large open prairie, they saw a young girl, who had retired from the village to undergo the customary training. She approached them dancing and singing. They stopped to watch her, and forthwith by the magic influence of the girl they were all transformed into stone. They may be seen standing there at the present day.144
III. STORY OF KOKWE'LA ; OR, KOKWE'LA'S SKU'ZAS.145
[Nkamtci'nemux.]
A maiden who lived in the Shuswap country refused all offers of marriage, telling her numerous suitors that none of them were good enough for her. Thus she remained unmarried, whilst all the young girls of her own age soon found husbands. Afterwards, when she became anxious to get married, no one would have her, the young men treating her in the same way that she had treated them.
