SHUSWAP PEOPLE OP BlilTISH COLUMBIA. 39 



anyone found and carelessly tossed aside one of these lizards, the Indians would throw 

 down their tools and search dilig-eutly till they found and secured it in the above manner. 



This superstition must be well known and widespread among the Indians, for it was 

 afterwards related to me in identical form by a man of the Nicola River, who further 

 pointed out to me a small lake, singularly situated on the summit of a high ridge about 

 a mile and a half south of the mountain named Za-kwâs'-ki, as a noted resort — possibly 

 the only place known to him — where this peculiar little animal was found. He described 

 it as being a few inches in length and nearly black. Za-kwâs'-ki, to which other 

 stories attach, is south of Nicola River, at the source of the Nicoamen River. 



The story of the existence of a kind of rattle-snake with a head at each end is common 

 among the Shuswaps, and several men I have met actually say they have themselves seen 

 such snakes. The name of this creature is wha-tloo'-sil-i-kin. To see such a snake is very 

 unlucky and portends the death of some near friend. Most of the accounts given refer to 

 the South Thompson valley, but the vicinity of Vernon, on Okanagan Lake, is also men- 

 tioned. It is interesting to compare this idea with the belief in the Sî-sï-ootl or double- 

 headed snake, entertained by the Kwakiool of Vancouver Island. 



The owl is a bird somewhat dreaded, and is said to haunt camps where some one is 

 dead, or in which are the relatives of some one who has died elsewhere, saying Too ! too! 

 A-sum'-tshak'-is, " he is a long time dead." This is evidently a fancy based on the 

 resemblance of the owl's note to the words in question. 



The grizzly bear is said to have in old days been a much more formidable creature 

 than it is now, constantly attacking and killing Indians. This probably means merely 

 that the Indians are now better armed, and possibly implies also that the bears have 

 become aware of this circumstance. 



Names of Stars and of the Months. 



The Pleiades are called by the Shoo-whfi'-pa-mooh hu-lm-oos, or " the bunch," and 

 also kul-kul-stâ-tim, or " people roasting." The last name is given from a story of their 

 origin, which relates that a number of women who were baking roots in a hole in the 

 ground, as is their fashion, became changed into this grou^i of stars. 



The morning star is named chl-whl-looh-tdn, or "coming with the daylight," also 

 ïoû-pk-a, or "one with hair standing out round his head." 



The four stars which form the quadrilateral of the G-reat Bear are, singularly enough, 

 known to the Shuswaps as the bear stars, kum-a-koo-sas'-ka. The three following large 

 stars are three brothers in pursuit of the bear. The first hunter is brave and near the bear, 

 the second leads a dog (the small companion star), the third is afraid and hangs far back. 



The stars of Orion's belt are named kut-a-klkl! -la, or " fishing." 



The milky way is named chiw-l-wl-ow'-is, the road or path of the dead. 



The aurora borealis is named s's-a-am, which appears to mean " cold wind," but this 

 is uncertain. 



The Stfi'-tlum-ooh (Lillooets) call the Pleiades in-mox, meaning the " bunch " or 

 " cluster ;" the G-reat Bear mr-Iultl', the name of the black bear. 



The face of the moon is said to represent the figure of a man with a basket on his 

 back, and the name of this man is Wha-ta. 



