MYTHS OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER INDIANS.
513
them iot and then poured water over
them. He then made a fire, and heated
bowlders and dropped them in, which
caused tho water to boil and cook the
fish. When tho salmon wero done, he
called all the people np and gave them
a feast This, the Indians say, was the
origin of tho 6almon feast held by them
every spring. Speelyai commanded them
to keep that feast ever afterward. He
also taught them how to cook salmon,
by broiling it on sticks stuck into the
ground before the fire. It is a well
known fact, that when this country was
first discovered by the whites, tho Indi
ans cooked their soups in tightly woven
baskets, by heating stones and putting
them into the food, and when the stones
were cooled, other hot ones were thrown
in to take their places.
In the Tiatan valley, not far from
Kittitass, is a largo rock, which tho In
dians throughout the country call Mee-Ah-wa
that is chieftain. Spcclyai an
ciently had a son, whom he called Mee-Ah-wa.
This young prince god had a
brido of a few months, of whom ho had
grown tired, and was anxious to get an
other woman. While ho and his young
wife wero camping in the Tiatan valley,
Mee-Ah-wa went into his sweat house,
near the creek, to bathe. On coming
out, he found that young women from
all tho tribeB in tho surrounding coun
try had come to try to gain his affec
tions, each hoping to bo chosen as "wife
number two." They wero there from
Palouse, Spokane, Yakima, Walla Walla,
and all other parts of the country.
, When bo came out from tho sudatoty,
ho knew tho damsels were standing
about looking at him, and so kept his
back toward them. When he looked
back over his shoulder, ho saw them
standing all around tho edge of the val
ley looking at him, each hoping to be
tho favored one, who should bo chosen
as his wife. IU, however, gave them no
sign of recognition or approval. About
that time, Speelyai, who was standing
off toward tho Yakima river, began to
danco about, and said: " Oh, my son is
going to get him a wifo now!" All at
once, Mee-Ah-wa and tho young women
who wero standing around, together with
his wife, wero all turned to stono and
havo stood thero ever since
Tho different groups of stones are
pointed out as tho young women of tho
different tribes. Tho five rocks nearest
Mee-Ah-wa wero the fivo young women
from Tumwater, on tho Columbia. Mee-Ah-wa's
wife had a child there, and it
and tho mother arc represented by cer
tain stones, as is his sweat house, also.
Tho little valley abounds with such root
and plants as are eaten by tho Iudiaus.
They say that when theso young women
from tho different tribes came to woo
tho young chieftain, they each brought
along a supply of such food a was used
by their tribes, and when they were
transformed into stono they ilropjed the
different kinds of roots, seeds and Ur-
ries, and they grew, and havo continued
to como every year since, to supply tho
races of Indians who have como on sub
sequently. On tho road between Tho Dalles and
Uoldendale, in Klicl.itat county, W. T
juit at tho foot of tho mountain, when
tho road comes out into tho valley, them
is a small tulo lake, or jwimL This, the
Indians say, was, ag ag an eitemiivo
deep lake, and abound! in large, fine
fih; they even tell of salmon and itur
geon being caught there. Connect!
with this lsko thero is legewL In the
" long, long ago," its waters had wonder
fal qualities; whoever dareU to bathe in
it or drink of tho water, was sure of lot;g
lifo, health and happine. Tho lk
was presided over by a giant swsn, who
was goddess of its waters. When any
one came near, she csM th watr to
flow out, and surrounding hira, wry