Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 68.djvu/516

512 looked alike, pointed out to the writer several differences between them of a physical character, and then remarked, in the Chinook jargon, 'halo siwash'—not Indian. The single braid, or 'pig-tail' of the Chinese is a matter of sport for the Indians who usually wear their hair free, or in several braids. The Kootenay name for Chinaman is Gōōktlām, or 'tail head,' in reference to the hair-braid. The Indians also make fun of the alleged use by the Chinese of cats as an article of food. One of the Chinese of Wild Horse Creek, a certain Lam Kin, acted as 'doctor' for some of the Ft. Steele Indians, his cure being a sort of medical tattooing, known by the Indians as katlku, which many of them affected after their own ancient shamanism had been more or less abolished through missionary influence.

One afternoon, when camped in the Lower Kootenay country, the writer thought he detected the presence of a skunk in the vicinity of the tent. He saw his Indian guide some distance away and hailed him about it. Only a non-committal answer was obtained. Noticing that the Indian did not venture to come near, he asked him what he had been doing, and started to go toward him, when he soon perceived what was the matter. Amelu had been trying to kill a skunk, and his scanty raiment exhaled abundant evidence of the encounter. He was given some money to get new clothes at the little store not very far off, and soon returned in triumph, having taken a bath in the river on the way back. How he induced the storekeeper to let him get near enough to purchase what he wanted he did not say, but perhaps the exchange was effected after the primitive fashion sometimes indulged in by children. However that may be, Amelu was a thoroughly shamefaced red-skin, as he stood off at a distance, afraid to come near the tent until the cause of his embarrassment had been disclosed. It appears that the Chinese in the mining districts of the Kootenay use certain parts of this animal for medicinal purposes, and the Indians catch them and sell them. Some of the Kootenays are said to catch skunks with their naked hands—usually they knock them over with sticks or stones. In capturing these and other small animals they take pleasure in getting as close to them as possible before striking. When using the writer's gun, Amelu would creep up so close to the grouse, known locally as 'fool hens,' that they would be blown to pieces when he did discharge his weapon. He also appeared to take great delight in 'gaffing' fish as compared with catching them with hook and line, although he enjoyed that very much, especially when he became aware of the writer's inexpertness as a fisherman.

Past one of the camping-places on the Kootenay river a steamer used to go every few days, and Amelu, from the moment he first heard the whistle till the vessel disappeared from his sight, would stand upon the bank waiting for it, gazing at it, peering after it. The sound of