﻿PERSONAL APPEARANCE. 379 



ever, merely outliers of the Kutchin, they were a 

 less favourable example of that people than the 

 dwellers on the Yukon that came under Mr. Mur- 

 ray's observation. He states that the males are of 

 the average height of Europeans, and well-formed, 

 Avith regular features, high foreheads, and lighter 

 complexions than those of the other Red Indians.* 

 The women resemble the men, and Mr. Murray 

 speaks of the wife of one of the chiefs as being so 

 handsome that, setting aside her Indian garb and 

 tattooed face, she would have been considered a fine 

 woman in any country. All the females have their 

 chins tattooed, and when they paint their faces they 

 use a black pigment. The men employ both red 

 and black paints on all occasions of ceremony, 

 every one applying them according to his fancy ; 

 and that they may always have them ready, each 

 has a small bag containing red clay and black lead 

 suspended to his neck. Most commonly the eyes 



* Mr. Isbister, speaking of the Kutcliin wlio frequent Peel's 

 River Fort, says " They are an athletic and fine-looking race, 

 considerably above the average stature, most of them being up- 

 wards of six feet in height, and remarkably well proportioned. 

 They have black hair, fine sparkling eyes, moderately high cheek 

 bones, regular and well set teeth, and a fair complexion. Their 

 countenances are handsome and pleasing, and capable of great 

 expression. They perforate the septum of the nose, in which 

 tliey insert two shells joined together, and tipped with a coloured 

 bead at each end" — Rep. of Brit. Ass. for 1847, p. 122. 



