LOCATION AND ENVIRONMENT 13

Indians from both of these areas were interviewed and it was
found that, except for minor details in certain beliefs, their
customs were identical with those of the Bella Coola proper.
Accordingly, in this monograph, the term “Bella Coola” will
be taken to include the inhabitants, not only of that valley,
but of South Bentinck Arm and the head of Dean Channel.
Those living on South Bentinck Arm will be referred to as
Tal-io people, the Bella Coola term for them; those of Dean
Channel as Kimsquit, the name by which they are generally
known. It is an anglicized form of the word Kiumxkwit, mean-
ing “Canyon,” by which the Bella Bella designate the people
of Dean River.

VILLAGES ON SOUTH BENTINCK ARM

(28) Satta: on the east side of South Bentinck Arm, about

a quarter of a mile from the point that marks its junction with

North Bentinck Arm. Food was obtained from an ocean fish-
trap. Long deserted except as a summer camp.

(29) Qankulst, “Island’’: east side of South Bentinck Arm,
slightly north of the island opposite the Hot Springs on the
west side of the fiord. The town took its name from this island.
In summer the numerous inhabitants lived immediately oppo-
site it, at a place where they had an ocean salmon-trap; in
winter they moved to a fortified spot at the base of a mountain
slightly farther to the north. This village was blotted out by
a landslide one spring long ago, and the few survivors were
unable to re-establish it.

*(30)4 Tsaoltmem: on the east side of the fiord about four
miles above the last-named. A small town, whose inhabitants
lived on the catch from their ocean fish-trap; it was recently
deserted.

8Qcean fish-traps work as follows:—A pen is made by a series of stakes, into
which the salmon enter at high tide. It is then closed and, as the falling tide lays
bare the mud, the imprisoned fish can be scooped out by hand or in hand-nets.

Mackenzie did not visit either South Bentinck Arm, or Kimsquit, but it will be
convenient to continue the use of asterisks to mark those towns which are said
to have been inhabited at that time.