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tain sheep for her. Now Tsihooskwallaam's house was
very large, being built of big timber 40-60 feet in length and
finely decorated inside with many beautiful woods, such as
were unknown to the people of her tribe. Gunnuckets and
his father, Num-Kil-slas, were very envious, and being bad
at heart, began to plan how to steal all the woman's blankets
and belongings. Gunnuckets told his father to take stock of
what there was in the premises, and arrange it all in bundles
so that between them they could take it during his wife's
absence. The next day while Tsihooskwallaam and her
husband had gone hunting sheep in the mountains, Num-
Kil-slas took stock of all there was on the premises, and
arranged everything in bundles so that he and his son could
carry everything away when the opportunity offered.
Meanwhile Gunnuckets made an excuse to his wife for re-
turning to the house alone, and upon his arrival at the house
both he and his father turned to their original characters. Num-
Kil-slas became a raven and Gunnuckets a martin. The
raven took many bundles of valuable blankets in his beak,
while the martin took all he possibly could carry in his jaws,
and they started with great speed to carry away all they
could. At night Tsihooskwallaam returned to the house and
found she had been deceived by her husband and his father,
and how they had stolen all her valuables, but the loss of
the valuables did not worry her as much as the knowledge
of being exposed to her tribespeople. She wandered away
into the woods thinking that she might. possibly overtake
them and regain her possessions and valuables, but she
failed in her efforts, and died from grief.
Num-Kil-slas and Gunnuckets reached their destination
with all the blankets and valuables and distributed them as a
Cutlas Potlach (free gift) to all the people of the Chilthcat
tribe, after which the people learned to make these wonder-
ful blankets which are used up to the present time, only by
chiefs in their dances and during tribal ceremonies of the
Chilthcat Indians.
~N our February issue will be commenced a series
of lessons in basket weaving with full instruc-
tion in the making of Indian baskets with num-
erous illustrations showing stitches, forms and
designs. The interest now being shown in these
matters has created a demand for something
simple and practical in the way of instruction.
This shall be our aim in the series of lessons.