A long time ago a war-party of Uta'mqt went to attack the E'yut of Fort Douglas; but, although they hovered around there for some time, they were unable to surprise their enemies, and, deeming themselves too few in number to make an open attack, they returned. On their way home they were unable to find any game, and were reduced to the verge of starvation. When they had reached the lake called Pa'piltWm, near the head of Spuzzum Creek,' they saw a huge sturgeon in the middle of the lake. Only a very narrow embankment confined the waters of the lake. It was very deep on the lower side, but on its upper side the water of the lake was just even with the top. They made a halt here; and, after holding a consultation, they agreed to cut the embankment so as to let the lake run dry, and thus to capture the sturgeon, which they wished for food.
As soon as they set to work doing this, two of the young men became afraid, and ran away to a distant point, from which they watched their comrades at work. Before long the people had made a cut in the bank, and the water began to flow out. As the water ran, it made the cut deeper and larger, and thus itself increased momentarily in volume and speed. Shortly after the water had started to run, black bears floated out with it. After these came many dogs, and at last came people, mostly women, who, as they floated, sat weaving goat's-hair blankets, and seemed all-unconscious that anything was wrong.
The lake ran almost dry, and left the sturgeon stranded in the middle, where it had first been seen. Then the men attacked it with their spears, and, after killing it, cut up its flesh, which they at once began to roast and boil. After feasting heartily, they all lay down on the lake-shore to rest themselves, and, feeling drowsy, fell asleep. None of them ever awoke again. Then the two young men ran down to where their friends were on the Fraser River, near Spuzzum, and told them all that had happened. After relating their story, they went mad, and, biting themselves like dogs, shortly afterwards died. The water from the lake ran down, and has continued to do so to the present day, thus forming one of the feeders of Spuzzum Creek.
The water-spirits (xcaxaa'tko), in the shape of bears, dogs, and people, floated down with the stream; but some of them stopped in each of three large pools in the main creek, and consequently these pools are considered wonderful (xaxa') at the present day. Some of the water-spirits also stopped at the waterfall near the mouth of the creek. Persons (especially strangers) who repair to these places at the present day are often unknowingly seized with sickness, while others see apparitions of the water-spirits in the shape of black bears, dogs, or people, or hear dogs yelping from the water, and immediately afterwards they become ill. In either case, persons attacked with this peculiar sickness turn mad and bite themselves. If they are not at once attended to by a medicine-man who understands the water-spirits of the creek, they usually die. Formerly young men used to repair to the pools and waterfall of this creek, where they trained themselves to become medicine-men.
A Thompson Legend