24 GEOEGB M. DAWSON ON THE 



trees," and refers to the red colour of the bark of Pinus ponderosa. As this locality is about 

 the northern limit of the tree, which is abundant southward, it appears to be possible 

 that the place was originally reached and named by people coming from the north, and 

 therefore unfamiliar with the striking appearance of the pine in question. 



As the study and comparison of what is known or may yet be learnt of the Shuswaps 

 may result in some more definite views on the subject of their origin, these remarks are, 

 however, merely thrown out as suggestions for enqiiiry and under all reserve. 



Mr. J. W. Mackay, from different sources, has put together the following notes bear- 

 ing on the early history of the Indians now inhabiting the Similkameen country. In 

 quoting these notes, which Mr. Mackay has kindly communicated to me, I retain his 

 orthography of the native names : — 



A long time before the white man first came to the country, a company of warriors 

 from the neighbourhood of the Ohilcotin River made their appearance in the Bonaparte 

 valley, apparently with the object of attacking the Indians who were there and of making 

 slaves of such as they could take alive. This happened during the salmon-fishing season. 



At that time it was customary for the Shuswaps who lived on the banks of the 

 Thompson between Kamloops and the mouth of the Bonaparte and in the Bonaparte val- 

 ley, to take their winter stock of salmon from the Fraser River at the western base of the 

 Pavilion Mountain. 



The warriors above mentioned had evidently calculated that most of the Shuswaps 

 would be absent from their winter quarters on the Bonaparte and Thompson valleys, and 

 would be encamped on the Fraser River during the salmon season, and that therefore 

 they might make an easy prey of the few Indians who might be remaining in these val- 

 leys. It happened that during the previous winter provisions had been more than ordin- 

 arily scarce, in consequence of which all the Shuswaps belonging to these localities had 

 removed to their salmon fisheries on the Fraser. 



The strangers from Chilcotin were evidently ignorant of the geography of the country 

 into which they had penetrated, and as they saw no Shuswaps where they had expected 

 to find them, they continued their advance southward down the Bonaparte and Thompson 

 valleys till they reached a position opposite the mouth of the Nicola River. At this place 

 they were discovered by some scouts belonging to the N-tla-kâ-pe-mooh tribe, who imme- 

 diately descended to Nicoamen and Tl-kam-cheen (Lytton), where most of the members of 

 this tribe were assembled for the salmon fishery. They gave the alarming information 

 that a hostile company was advancing down the Thompson. 



A strong force of the N-tla-ka-pe-mooh immediately set out to intercept the strangers, 

 and having soon ascertained their position and probable strength, established themselves 

 both in front and behind them. The intruders, after they discovered that they were thus 

 menaced by a force stronger than their own, took advantage of the night to cross the 

 Thompson and proceeded to ascend the Nicola valley. The N-tla-ka-pe-mooh followed 

 and harassed them, continuing to do so till the strangers were driven into the Similka- 

 meen valley, where they took a firm stand, and by their prowess, obliged their pursuers to 

 desist from molesting them. The strangers were mostly young men, who had their wives 

 with them, but only a few children, for in these primitive days the women accompanied 

 their husbands to war and were valuable auxiliaries. The neighbouring N-tla-kfi-pe-mooh 

 and Salish of the Okanagan soon discovered that the stranger women were larger and 



