OF THE DELUGE. 289 



uncle that lie cannot catch any more, whereupon 

 Wis sits np all night making medicine or conjming. 

 In the morning he tells his nephew to go a-hunting ; 

 but to be careful that at every valley, or the least 

 hollow place he has to pass, he must throw a stick 

 over before jumping it himself, or else some evil will 

 certainly befal him. Away goes the hunter ; espies 

 and pursues a deer, taking care to follow his uncle's 

 directions. But, alas ! when just up with his prey, a 

 small hollow intervenes, which he thinks he can jump 

 easily ; and, attempting it without the usual pre- 

 caution, goes plump into a river, and is there killed 

 and devoured by water-lynxes.* After long waiting for 

 his nephew. Wis set off in search of him, and coming 

 to the spot whence he had jumped, guessed that he 

 had neglected his warning, and fallen into the stream. 

 He observed, on a tree near, a king-fisher staring 

 fixedly into the water, and asked him what he was 

 looking at so earnestly. The king-fisher replies that 

 he is looking at the skin of Wis-kay-tchach's nephew, 

 which serves as a door-mat to the dwelling of the water- 

 lynxes, those animals having devoured him. Wis 

 calls the bird to him, and begins to comb its head, 

 and put a ruff about its neck to make a queue for it ; 



* My iuformant did not know what animals were meant by these 

 " watei'-lynxes," but conjectured them to be of fabled origin, created by 

 tho mention of seals, which few of the Indians ever see. 



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