The mystery of the Stuwix - an Athapaskan or Chinookan peopleamongst the Secx'emc (fwd)

[Mike Cleven]

David Robertson wrote:
>
and while I'm checking the dictionary, I'd like to
> mention that the (Spokane) Salish word for whale (!) is /smtus/.

I'm always curious as to how an inland language would have a word for
such a creature; of course over the millenia knowledge of the sea and
its creatures would have come up the great rivers - but you'd think the
word used would be brought with the tale....