STORIES 511

assailant. The man, a crack shot, took careful aim at Sekakmdn-a’s top-
knot, but the musket had a flatter trajectory than he expected, so the
bullet, instead of dropping and killing the man, flew straight and merely
cut down the tuft on top of his head. Sekakmén-a ran off to the village
and Nusntista was carried to the house of one of his relatives on the north
bank of the river. :

Conflicting reasons are given for this assault. Some state that Sekak-
man-a’s uncontrollable temper led him to fire; others that he did so on
the orders of Pottes, who was offended because Nusnista had disobeyed
an order to carry food home to his wife. It is whispered that on several
occasions Poffes had used Sekakmdn-a to get rid of those who had dis-
pleased him.

If the assault had been committed during the summer, revenge would
have been an affair of the injured youth’s relatives, but it occurred during
the kusiut season so all members of the society were affected. A party
was organized to arrest the offender with the aid of an American who
happened to be at the Hudson’s Bay Company’s post at the time.
Sekakmén-a was in the rear part of one of the houses at Qomgo-ts when his
enemies entered and stood hesitating at the door. As he faced them, an
old man, related to Nusmuisia, crept behind and leapt on him, wrapping
his arms and legs around him. The murderer drew a knife and struggled
furiously before he was overcome, bound and carried to Atgd/éx? where
his victim lived. Sekakmédn-a pleaded that he had mistaken Nusnuista for
one of his Chilkotin relatives, but when no attention was paid to this, he
said that he had acted under orders from Poffes. This was likewise dis-
regarded, nor was there any suggestion of revenge on the alleged insti-
gator since he, being a chief, could do as he liked. It is said that Poffes
endeavoured to help his henchman by sending a message to some Chil-
kotin who were camped in the vicinity and inviting them to rescue their
kinsman.

Meanwhile it was obvious that Nusmista was seriously wounded. His
telatives said that if he lived, they would be willing to accept compen-
sation for the assault, so Sekakmdn-a was kept, bound hand and foot, in
a house where a kusiut dance was taking place. During the night he
almost succeeded in freeing himself from his bonds, but this was discov-
ered and he was again tied up; it is possible that an accomplice assisted
him in the attempt to escape. Towards dawn Nusnuista died and it was
decided that his murderer should be killed at once.

The kukusiut all helped to take him outside and make preparations
for shooting him, but no one desired the task of executioner. Meanwhile
the Chilkotin were gathering; a fight seemed imminent and the excite-