580 REPORT—1899, 
drowned. The following year the Humpback Salnion husband, accom- 
panied by all the other fish, canoed up the river to the girl’s old home at 
Lytton. As they neared the place two little river fish, the teoktci’ and 
the ni/nrktcin, hastened on before and told the parents that their daughter 
was returning with the Coast fish. Everybody is delighted to hear the 
news, and the people paint their faces white and red to show their joy. 
The news of her arrival soon spreads far and wide, and the people of Nicola 
heard of it among the rest. Now at this place there were many notable 
men. Four of these, named respectively Koi’ukin (Wolverine), N’Qoeni’ken 
(Badger ?), Qua’/kqoc (Marten), and Tcitce’q (Weasel), determined to go 
down to Lytton and carry the girl off. They arrived during the night. 
When they got there a great gambling bout was going on in the keekwilee- 
house of the father of the girl. All the Fish people were there, as well as 
the chief’s own friends. <A big fire had been built to light up the house, 
that everybody might watch the game. The large crowd of people and 
the big fire made the house very warm. The daughter begins to feel the 
heat very trying. Presently she can stand it no longer, and asks to be 
allowed to go out and get some fresh air. She is permitted to pass, and 
climbs the notched pole that led through the smoke-hole. The four 
Nicola men are just outside, and have observed all that took place. They 
see the girl climbing the pole below them, and when her head appears at 
the opening Tciteq the Weasel makes a jump, and passes through her 
mouth into her stomach. The girl is unconscious of what has taken 
place, she only suddenly feels sick. When her head is out of the smoke- 
hole Qua’kqoc the Marten leaps into her mouth and passes into her 
stomach. The girl at this feels as if she were half dead, and hastens to 
get outside. But when she is partly out Nqoeni’ken the Badger makes a 
leap, and passes also into her stomach. She is fainting now as she steps 
out from the hole ; and when K6i'lekin the Wolverine follows his fellows 
and jumps into her stomach she falls down dead. A little later, when 
the others come out, they find her lying dead on the ground. Everybody 
is in great distress, and the greatest medicine-man of the district is called 
in to see if he can restore her to life again. He performs a great dance, 
but all to no purpose. The young woman remains dead. Other medicine- 
men now try their skill, but with no better success. They desist from 
their efforts to restore her, and next day they bury her. The party now 
breaks up, everybody being very sad. The Salmon and Coast fish return 
home again. The night following, the Nicola chiefs, who had caused her 
death in the way related, now restore her to life, and return with her to 
their own country. Here the young woman lives with them. In course 
of time a rumour of her presence among the Nicola tribe reaches her own 
people. Word is sent all round to all the camps and to all the Fish 
people of the coast. A meeting is convened at which war is declared by 
the Fish tribe against the Nicola people, who are all members of the 
Animal tribe. All the Coast fish, with Ho’atl the Sturgeon at their head, 
swarm up the Fraser to Nicola. In such numbers did they come that 
the upper river was too narrow and confined to hold them all. <A fierce 
battle now takes place between the Fish of the Coast and the Animals of 
Nicola. The Animals came in from all parts to help their friends at 
Nicola, and after a bloody conflict the Fish are beaten, and great numbers of 
them are killed. Those that escaped from the fight are followed by the 
victorious Animals, and not one of them, except the mighty armoured 
Sturgeon, escapes to get back to the coast again. Even the great 
