Duke writes “This time around I have 2 stories for you, a story of an old man and his grandson and their separate encounters with Mountain Giants. The recollections of Susan Allison, published in 1976 as an autobiography entitled “A Pioneer Gentlewoman in British Coalumbia” tells us of events of the later half of the 19th century. Included amongst these stories is the account of an old Indian, Ke-ke-was, who was captured by a Mountain Giant near Lake Okanagan, and carried off to it’s cave, where 2 of them lived. Ke-ke-was claimed the Giants were so tall his head reached only to their knees!
They used fire, had clothing made of goat skins, and rolled an enormous rock into place to seal their cave entrance. Ke-ke-was claimed that he believed the giants were keeping him as a pet, until finally he was able to escape one night through a crack at the entrance.
Ke-ke-was was already an old man when he related these events to his grandson and great-grandchildren. The Giants were known to be lured down from their foreboding mountain caves when the fishing was good, to steal fish from the Indians. As it turned out, Ke-ke-was had indeed been tending a fish trap (Shop online to buy one) when he was suddenly grabbed in a monstrous vice-like grip and carried off by a Mountain Giant! According to Ke-ke-was, it soon began to whistle. It was the same odd sound that had awoken him from sleep before, but then he had passed it off as the mournful notes of the north wind, and now he was being abducted by what made the sound, and it was not the north wind! Apparently noting that it’s “pet” was rigid with terror and shock, it placed him inside its shirt. It then calmly emptied the fish trap into it’s basket, and slinging it onto it’s shoulder, it commenced to ascend the mountain, whistling with all its might. Once, along the way it stopped, and drawing the man forth from inside it’s shirt, it tried to cram a fish down his throat.
Seeing that the man was choking, it desisted and replaced him back into it’s shirt. After a long time the Giant stopped moving, and peeking out from it’s chest, Ke-ke-was could see they were in a large cave. It was quite dark except for some smoldering embers at the far end. Throwing a few twigs on the embers, the Giant blew upon them until with a sharp crackling sound they began to blaze. It then became apparent that they were in a vast cave, the ceiling somewhat low for the size of it. From the roof hung garlic, meat and herbs. Taking him out of it’s shirt, the Giant tied a rope to one of Ke-ke-was legs and the other end to a log that lay near the fire. There the Giant stood for some time, regarding Ke-ke-was, and giving the Indian the chance to do the same.
Although a big man, as humans go, Ke-ke-was head was scarcely level with the Giants knees! The Giant was white and in addition to its garment, it had a long beard flowing to it’s waist. After some time a second Giant appeared, this one just as enormous as the first, and carrying 3 dead does. Ke-ke-was watched and listened as the Giants conversed in “voices like thunder”. Ke-ke-was was held captive for a long time, but one night was able to make his escape.
Afterwards, he wandered the mountains for months until he was able to find his way back to his fathers camp. Torouskin, his grandson, was dubious of the story at best, but not long after being told the tale, he had an encounter of his own! One day he heard a shrieking whistle, and being alarmed, hid in the tall grass. He then watched a Mountain Giant walking past him! Upon his return, he told his family “Never will I doubt the Wisdom and truth of the aged, for, as thou sayest Ke-ke-was, there are many strange things in these mountains.”