﻿S90 KUTCHIN. 



Instead, however, of continuing their way into the 

 wood, they stole back quietly to the tent, and listen- 

 ing on the outside, discovered as they fancied, from 

 the conversation of the strangers, that their father's 

 life was in danger. Knowing the exact position of 

 the inmates, they thereupon shot their arrows 

 through tlie skin covering and killed two of the 

 strange Indians ; the other two, in endeavouring to 

 make their escape by the door, shared the fate of 

 their companions. This is spoken of in the tribe 

 as an exceedingly brave action. The golden age 

 of innocence and security is not to be sought for 

 among a savage people ignorant of the precepts of 

 divine truth. 



The Yukon Kutchin pass the summer in drying 

 white-fish (^Coregonus) for winter use. For the 

 purpose of taking these fish, they construct weirs 

 by planting stakes across the smaller rivers and 

 narrow parts of lakes, leaving openings in which 

 they place wicker baskets to intercept the fish. 

 This practice is common in Oregon and New Cale- 

 donia*, but does not exist to the eastward of the 

 Rocky Mountains. On the other hand, the inha- 

 bitants of the Yukon are unacquainted with nets, 

 so largely employed by the Chepewyans and Crees. 

 The Kutchin take the moose- deer in snares, and, 



* Cook observed fishing weirs at Nootka Sound. — Third 

 Vot/., vol ii. p. 281. 



