540 REPORT— 1900. 



mountains, anrl after they had passed the third they saw in the distance 

 before them, on the brow of the opposite slope, a strange o'kwumuq 

 (village). As they stood regarding it and wondering what people lived 

 there, they presently observed a man rolling a big copper ring down the 

 mountain-slojje opposite them, and, as soon as it had reached the bottom, 

 drawing it back again with his breath. When they saw this beautiful 

 ring, which glinted and shone in the sunlight, they determined to possess 

 themselves^ of it. To this end they adopted the following plan : The 

 eldest of A'tsaian's sons was to go down into the valley to the spot 

 ■where the ring stopped, and seize it when next it came down. The 

 brother next to him was to follow after, but was not to go so far. All 

 the rest were to do likewise, each being some little distance from the 

 other, the deformed youth being last and consequently nearest home. 

 They adopted this plan to make sure of securing the ring, being all 

 quite well aware that its owner would not lightly part with it, and 

 that the attempt might end disastrously for some of them. A little 

 while after each had taken his place the ring came rolling down the 

 hill again. As soon as it reached the bottom, the youth stationed there 

 sprang out of his hiding-place and caught it up and immediately ran 

 towards his next brother with it. As he ran he found himself impeded 

 in his movements by the breath of the man who was pulling the ring 

 back again, and he had great difficulty in getting along. The owner of 

 the ring perceived that something had gone amiss with it, and came 

 down to see what was the matter. He soon discovered the youth 

 struggling off with his ring, and straightway made after him to recover 

 his treasure. By this time the young man had reached the spot where 

 his second brother was hiding, and just as the wizard was about to seize 

 him he threw it to this brother, who immediately ran with it towards the 

 next. Eeing fresh, this one made a good start, the more so as the wizard 

 stopped to punish his brother by cutting out his heart. This he ate as 

 the youth fell dead at his feet. He then started after the other, and 

 came up to him just as he got to the next brother and passed the ring 

 on to him. This one met the same fate as his elder brother, and like- 

 wise had his heart cut out and eaten. And thus it was with all of them 

 except the last, who, as soon as he obtained possession of the ring, took 

 the lump which caused his deformity from his side and threw it at the 

 wizard. ThereujDon a dense fog arose, and while his pursuer tried in vain 

 to find him he hasteiaed hoiiiewards, recrossed the three intervening 

 mountains safely, and presently got near the village. As he^ approached, 

 he called out to his father Cuk9uklako's and to his uncle A'tsaian that 

 all his brothers and cousins were killed. His father and uncle were in 

 the house at the time, and when they heard him shouting they climbed 

 up through the smoke-hole ' to the roof to hear what it was he was 

 saying. As soon as they understood the full import of his terrible news 

 they threw themselves down into the fire to mark their deep grief,^ 

 whereupon their eyes shot out like fiery sparks and went, the I'ight ones 

 northwards, and the left ones southwards. Immediately upon this the 



' This description seems to suggest a ' keekwilee-bouse' rather than the ordinary 

 lam, of the Sk-qo'mic. Some of the upper Sk-qo'mic appear to have maile use of 

 the keekwilee-house, one of their villages being known by tlie term SlvumVn, 

 which in Sk-qo'mic sifnities a keekwilee-house. 



■■^ This practice would appear to have been unusual. I cannot recall that it has 

 been recorded of any of our B.C. Indians before. 



