CHAP. xn. MONTAGNAIS SUPEESTITIONS. 185 



these Indians a feast is proclaimed, and all in the vicinity 

 are invited to partake of it. 



Louis knew a Canadian who was swamped with his 

 canoe in a rapid on the river St. Marguerite. One month 

 afterwards he found his bones in the bush a mile from 

 the river. ' Bear found body, dragged it into the bush, 

 eat it. Bears often go two, three, four together : don't 

 like them then, let them pass.' 



Among the superstitions formerly prevalent among 

 the Montagnais, and still retained by those who do not 

 regularly visit the coast, are the following. 



It was considered very unlucky to spill the blood of 

 the beaver, as that would prevent the hunter from being 

 successful in the beaver hunt. Particular bones of the 

 beaver and porcupine were never allowed to be given to 

 the dogs, but were always burnt. A curious custom 

 relative to particular bones exists at the present day 

 among the Ojibways, who hunt between Lake Superior 

 and Hudson's Bay ; the bone forming the cap of the knee 

 of rabbits and beaver is cut off before the animal is 

 cooked.* The Montagnais threw the flat bones of the 

 porcupine into the fire, so that they might judge by the 

 appearance of the flame whether they would be suc- 

 cessful in their hunt for these animals. They were very 

 careful that the dogs should not touch the bones or taste 

 the blood of the bears they killed, burying the former and 

 pouring the latter on the fire. 



When they threw pine or spruce branches on their 

 lodge fire, and a hissing noise was produced as the 



* Private Journal, Lake Nipigon, 1840, by James Anderson, Chief Factor 



of Mingan. 



