286 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. xvn. 



A Frenchman asked another, saying to him, " Khi-gaiche- 

 nicasson?" What is your name ? He replied," Namanikis- 

 teriten" I know nothing about it. I have since learned 

 that they will not tell their name to anyone, I don't 

 know the reason. Nevertheless, if you ask anybody else 

 the name of such a person, he will tell you at once, but 

 he will not tell you his own name.' * An Indian's name is 

 just as often the result of accident as otherwise, and some- 

 times they are the reverse of pleasing and flattering titles. 

 Among the Ojibways north of Lake Superior, when a 

 child is formally named, a feast is prepared, and other 

 Indians are invited. Some time before the company are 

 assembled the kettles are arranged before the master of 

 the feast, who is generally the grandfather of the child, if 

 it has one. 



When the guests are assembled, he smokes for a few 

 minutes, and makes three separate speeches with a smoke 

 between each. The child is then handed to him ; he kisses 

 it on its cheeks, and names it. It is then handed round to 

 the guests, who repeat the name, and kiss the infant. 



If the child is a girl, a woman generally names it. 



Each guest places a piece of tobacco before the master 

 of the feast, after which ceremony the most attractive 

 part of the entertainment begins, when, Indian fashion, 

 they demolish the good things prepared. 



If a child is ill, the father or mother will not unfre- 

 quently change its name, under the impression that its 

 life will thereby be saved. But they sometimes carry 

 the superstition still further, and give the child two or 



* ' Relation de la Nouvelle France,' eu I'anuee 1633. 



