14 CHRONICLES OF THE CARIBOO

been arguing with him on the superiority of the Kentucky rifle over
the old-fashioned bow, but could not convince the Indian, who had
his own ideas, born of experience, and could demonstrate them.

“Oh, non, non, you’ musket not better. Too long; too heavy; too
slov7; too much smoke; too much nize;- mak’ scare everyt’ing. Me,°I —
show you.” After ‘stringing his mighty bow he selected two light
arrows somewhat shorter than the others, slim and straight. He fitted
one to the string and placed the other in his teeth by the middle; then
he snatched Dunlevey’s hat from his head and, with a quick flick of
the wrist sent it sailing in the direction ef an open sidehill that arose
some 300 yards away. So fast the motions could hardly be followed
with the eye, the black bow twanged twice viciously. The two arrows.
were shot cleanly througn the hat, to fly on like one was chasing the
other till theyboth struck quivering in the sidehill.

<7)

Grinning at Dunlevey, he asked: “W’at you Vink now? You’ mus-
ket he shoot fas’ an’ sure lak dat?” Seeing the whitemen were struck
dumb with amazement, he threw his head back and laughed his silent
hunter’s laugh that yet shcok his whole huge frame. Checking as
quickly he disclaimed: “Waugh! Dat cone eezay! Hat he go straight
~way, all: sam’ stan’ still. Goose,
duck, chicken he fly fas’. Not
eezay. Waugh! But kill jes sam’.
No use miss, lose arrow!”

Tomaah explained that the Fac-
tor at Fort Atexandria would let
him off only conditionally; so he
thought it best to bring his friend
Baptiste along in case one or the
other got orders to go on a trip
somewhere. Such an order might
come by another runner or by one
of the pack trains or brigades now
travelling the trail. In that case
the other would be free to go with
the Dunlevey party.

As most of the cayuses had al-
ready developed sore backs from
‘the heavy loads on ill-fitting pack
saddles, the party decided to lay
“A sweetheart on the gold over a few days to treat them and,

trail.” incidentally, take in the sports and
games being enacted at the camp.

Then the female element had to be interjected into their plans.
Among the Indians who swarmed into their camp the morning after
their arrival were a middle-aged Shuswap squaw with her two daugh-
ters of perhaps sixteen and seventeen years. They had come to trade
beautifully worked buckskin gloves and mocassins for tea, sugar and
whatever else they fancied. The girls were the most beautiful natives