186 THE MEXOMINI INDIANS [eth.akn.H 



iii every tiling you uudertake; but if you remove it from your wrist you 

 will be defeated.'' 



The hunter took the claw which the Wolf gave him, aud attached it 

 to his left wrist, when the Wolf said, " My brother, your name will 

 henceforth be Nano'kupa/qkweni'sitaV When you leave this place, go 

 in any direction but toward your wigwam ; you will find people who are 

 great gamblers, and he who is the losing one of this people you will 

 know as the father of the girl whom you will take to be your wife. The 

 family consists of seven persons, the father, the mother, four sons, and 

 one daughter. Now I shall leave you." Then the hunter and the Wolf 

 parted — the Wolf disappearing in the forest while the hunter took his 

 bow and arrows and set out in the opposite direction. 



The hunter now traveled through a country which he had not before 

 seen nor heard of. There was game in every direction, but he had not 

 yet come to a place where there were signs of human beings. Late 

 in the afternoon, when he was tired and cold, and did not know what 

 course to take to find a settlement, he heard a sound like that made 

 by cutting wood. He proceeded very cautiously in the direction of 

 the noise, peering from side to side, and discovered not far away two 

 camps. But near to where he was he saw a large dead tree which was 

 smouldering and which he approached to warm himself. While here 

 seated and contemplating what might be his next adventure he heard 

 some one approaching in the direction of the nearest camp. On looking 

 up he saw coming toward him an old woman who seemed preoccupied, 

 for her eyes were directed toward the ground. She came almost up to 

 the hunter before she saw him, and becoming alarmed at the sight of a 

 stranger she hastened back to her wigwam. 



The old woman's husband was asleep, so when she entered the wig- 

 wam she shook him by the shoulder and said, " Wake up; T have just 

 come from the burning tree and there saw Nano'kupa'qkweui'sita v ." 



The old man, on hearing these words, immediately raised himself 

 from the robes, and calling to his youngest sou said, " Come here, my 

 son." The young man approached his father, who then said, " Tour 

 mother says she has just returned from the burning tree where she saw 

 Nano'kupa'qkweni'sita v ; go to him and bring him to me, for I think he 

 must be your brother-in-law." The young man grasped his warclub 

 and went out to find the hunter and to bring him to the wigwam. 



This old man and his family were the chief of the Omas'kos (Elk 

 people), who occupied the first village which the hunter saw, while the 

 second village was inhabited by the Mo u s (Moose people). The inhabi- 

 tants of these two settlements were great gamblers and were antago- 

 nistic to each other, because the Moose people were usually successful 

 in any games undertaken, whereas the Elk people believed their lack 

 of success due to some trickery. 



1 Tliia signifies a foot shaped like the oblong rawhide traveling hag used by the Indians for atow- 

 iDg away small articles. Nano'kup'd'qkwe, carrying bag ; ni'sita v \ foot. 



