576 REPORT—1899). 
to see you, responded Qai’non ; ‘I am always glad to see a friend drop in 
for a chat. Snikia’p now began to look about him, and perceived that the 
house was well stocked with lots of dried deer-flesh. Presently, after 
they had chatted awhile, Qai/non said, ‘You must have some dinner 
before you go away.’ Looking towards his stores of dried meat, he said, 
‘I can’t offer you this dried stuff; I should like you to have some fresh 
meat. Just stay a moment, and let me run out to my deer-trap and see 
if there is anything in it. I ought to find a deer there.’ And with that 
Qai’non hastened to go to the trap. Snikia’p, as soon as he had gone out, 
climbed up the notched pole and observed with much curiosity and 
interest Qai’non go towards his deer-trap, which was not far from the 
house. He saw him pause there a moment to inspect the trap, which 
held no deer, and then pass on to the wood beyond. Presently a big 
buck sprang up in Qai’non’s path. The deer took no notice of Qai’non, 
who now began to revile it in insulting language. At first the buck paid 
no attention to the remarks of Qai’non, but presently his language became 
so bad that he grew angry and ran at Qai’non to punish him. This was 
just what Qai’non wanted, and as the angry deer approached him he 
turned and ran towards the snare, keeping just a few feet in front of his 
pursuer. When he was close to the trap he opened his wings and shot 
through the opening in a twinkling. The deer, not perceiving the snare, 
blindly followed, and was caught by the noose, and thus fell a victim to 
Qai’non’s cunning. Qai’non now took his knife and cut the deer’s throat 
to bleed him. He ‘then quickly skinned him, cut off a large piece of the 
meat, and returned to the house with it. ‘Ah!’ said Snikia’p, when 
Qai’non came near, ‘I see you hunt your game just as I do. I always | 
catch my deer that way.’ Qai’non was surprised to hear Snikia’p say 
this, being under the impression that he himself was the only person who 
hunted in this way. He said nothing, however, but hastened to cook 
some of the venison. When the food was ready Snikia’p ate very 
heartily, being very hungry, but could not eat all that had been prepared. 
Wishing very much to take some home with him, he said to Qai’non : 
‘I think I will borrow your mat and take home some of this cooked meat 
for my supper ; it will save me cooking to-night.’ The other was quite 
willing, and readily loaned him the mat. Snikia'p wrapped up all that 
was left from their meal, and now took his departure, saying as he went, 
‘You must come and pay me a visit soon, and then you can get the mat.' 
I like to have a visit from my friends,’ The day following Qai’non 
thought he would return Snikia’p’s visit. Approaching his house, he 
shouted down the smoke-hole, ‘Good day, friend ; I have taken you at 
your word, and am come to have a little chat with you.’ ‘ Oh, come in, 
dear friend,’ said unctuous Snikia’p, ‘I am truly delighted to see you.’ 
But even as he spoke he felt in his heart that he would much rather his 
visitor had remained at home ; and he wondered what he should do for a 
dinner, having nothing in the house. However, he put on an air of 
welcome, and entertained his visitor till dinner-time came. Said he then 
to Qai’non, ‘It is time I was looking after the dinner ; you must stay 
and eat some with me.’ To this Qai’non agreed rather more readily than 
1 The mat here referred to was that off which they had been eating their dinner. 
In the olden days the Indians of this district always made use of mats for table- 
cloths, One or more of them was spread on the ground, and the food set out upon 
them. They were made from reeds and swamp grasses, and were one of the 
commonest articles of native furniture, 
