Snass Sessions: Sam Sergeant’s Dog Creek Hill letter, 1895
David Douglas Robertson, PhD
Consulting linguist, Spokane, WA, USA
‘Your name is Père Le Jeune at Kamloops.’
O tilikom, tlus maika mamuk-nyus-pipa ukuk naika mamuk-pipa kopa maika.
‘Oh friend, you should publish what I’m writing to you.’
Iht son, naika klatwa;
‘One day, I set out walking;’
Naika tiki mamuk-mimlus kalakala,
‘I wanted to hunt some birds.’
pi naika klatwa tanas-saia,
‘and I went a little ways,’
pi naika nanich kalakala,
‘and I saw some birds,’
pi naika wik komtaks mamuk-pu,
‘but I’m not very good at shooting,’
pi naika kaltash mamuk-pu,
‘and I was shooting pretty bad,’
pi naika mamuk-mimlus iht kalakala,
‘but I killed one bird,’
pi naika tlap-drit-sah(a)li-tomtom,
‘and I got mighty proud of myself,’
pi wiht naika tiki mamuk-mimlus kalakala.
‘and I wanted to kill more birds.’
Naika klatwa tanas-saia,
‘I went a little further,’
pi naika nanich iht kalakala,
‘and I saw another bird,’
pi naika mamuk-mokst-pu ukuk kalakala,
‘and shot at that bird twice,’
pi iaka flai,
‘and it flew away,’
pi naika ayu-krai-tomtom.
‘and I was really disappointed.’
Naika papa mamuk trap-stik.
‘My dad was setting deadfall traps.’
Ukuk naika nanich,
‘I could see that,’
pi wik iaka mamuk-mimlus martin,
‘but he wasn’t catching any martens,’
pi naika chako-drit-klai-tomtom.
‘and I got really sad.’
Wik-saia chako chok (Ø) naika siahus,
‘Tears just about came to my eyes,’
pi naika nanich iht tanas-mawich,
‘but (then) I saw a little deer,’
pi naika mamuk-pu lakit taims ukuk tanas-mawich;
‘and I shot 4 times at that little deer;’
Iaka nanich naika,
‘It had spotted me,’
pi iaka ilo fol-dawn,
‘and (so) it didn’t go down,’
pi naika klatwa;
‘and I got walking;’
naika tiki iskom Ø kopa naika lima,
‘I wanted to grab it with my hands,’
naika tiki mamuk-kakshit (Ø) kopa iaka latit.
‘I wanted to smash it on its head.’
Wik-saia naika iskom Ø,
‘I nearly got hold of it,’
pi iaka kuli,
‘but (then) it took off,’
pi naika sit-dawn,
‘and I sat down,’
pi naika klai.
‘and I cried.’
Klunas naika klai iht awr;
‘I must’ve cried for an hour;’
naika kopit-klai,
‘I got done crying,’
pi naika klatwa.
‘and I got going.’
Naika nanich: iaka tlap-ilo-mitlait-pilpil,
‘I could see that it had bled out,’
pi naika klatwa kilapai,
‘but I went back,’
pi naika kwanisim klai kopa stik;
‘and I was still crying in the woods;’
pi naika papa iaka wawa kopa naika, pus kah naika.
‘and (then) my dad called out to me, to (know) where I was.’
Naika kuli,
‘I got moving,’
pi naika wawa kopa iaka,
‘and I said to him,’
“Naika kuli kopa kaltash-stik;
‘ “I was wandering around in the brush; ’
naika ilo nanich mawich.”
‘ I didn’t see any deer.” ’
Naika papa iaka wawa kopa naika,
‘My dad said to me,’
“Ikta maika mamuk?
‘ “What have you been up to? ’
Klunas maika klai;
‘ Seems like you’ve been crying; ’
ayu chok mitlait (Ø) maika siahus.”
‘ your face is all wet.” ’
Pi naika wawa kopa iaka,
‘But I said to him,’
“O, ilo-ikta naika mamuk;
‘ “Oh, I haven’t been doing anything; ’
naika ayu-wam,
‘ I’m awful warm, ’
kakwa, chok chako (Ø) naika siahus.”
‘that’s why my face got wet.’ ”
Naika drit tliminuit kopa iaka!
‘I actually lied to him!’
Naika nim Sam Salchan kopa Dog Krik Mawntin.
‘My name is Sam Sergeant from Dog Creek Hill.’
Klahawiam, tilikom Pir Lshyun.