﻿BEADS AND SHELLS. 391 



towards the spring, most of the nation resort to 

 the mountains, to hunt rein-deer and lay in a stock 

 of dried venison. 



Beads are the riches of the Kutchin, and also the 

 medium of exchange throughout the country lying 

 between the Mackenzie and the west coast, other 

 articles being valued by the number of strings of 

 beads they can procure. No such near approach 

 to money has been invented by the nations residing 

 to the eastward of the Rocky Mountains, though 

 their intercourse with the fur-traders has given 

 them a standard of value in the beaver's skin. 

 Their accounts at the posts being reckoned by the 

 number of " beavers" they owe, and the Company's 

 tariff fixes the value of a " beaver." To be ac- 

 counted a chief among the Kutchin, a man must 

 possess beads to the amount of 200 beavers. The 

 standard bead, and the one of most value, is a 

 laro:e one of white enamel which is manufactured 

 in Italy only, and can with difficulty be procured 

 from thence in sufficient quantity. Fancy beads, 

 i.e.y blue and red ones of various sizes, and the 

 common small white ones, are, however, in request, 

 for ornamenting their dresses. 



Dentalium and Aretiicola shells are transmitted 

 from the west coast in traffic, and are greatly 

 valued. None of the Chepewyan tribes wear nose- 

 ornaments, neither have the latter people the same 



c c 4 



