No. 3.] G. 31. DAWSON — INDIANS OF CANADA. 143 



traversed nnd described by Sir John Richardson, Franklin and 

 Back, a picture of bleak desolation, yet in their grassy savannahs 

 supporting cariboo and other game enough to maintain the 

 wandering bands of natives. They are as yet the undisputed 

 possessors of the great Peace River valley, in Mackenzie's time 

 abounding in bufifalo and elk, and destined, at no very distant 

 date, to form a wealthy province of the Dominion. North of 

 this, in the Athabasca-Mackenzie region they roam over a whole 

 continent of barrens, scrubby forests, wide muskegs, and inoscu- 

 lating systems of lakes ; while in the northern interior of British 

 Columbia and Southern Alaska they own a veritable sea of moun- 

 tains. 



Resembling the forest inhabiting tribes of the Algonkins in 

 many respects, they yet diflPer from them in some important 

 points. The name Tinneh or Dinne means simply the people, 

 and in combination with some peculiar afl&x forms the distinctive 

 name of almost every tribal subdivision of the race. In thus 

 speaking of themselves as pre-eminently the people, they are not 

 peculiar, but follow the custom of many of the American tribes 

 of different family relationships. When discovered, the Tinneh 

 were constantly at war with all the surrounding; nations, includino- 

 the Esquimaux, to the north, the Crees and southern Indians of 

 British Columbia, to the south, and were, besides, engaged in 

 intertribal wars within their own territory. They do not appear, 

 however, to be in general distinguished for bravery or success in 

 their warlike expeditions. Though scattered over so great an 

 area of country, they show a close general resemblance in customs 

 and disposition. They do not cultivate oratory to the same ex- 

 tent as the southern Indians, nor have they any regard for the 

 truth, though, curiously enough, remarkably honest, both among 

 themselves and towards strangers. They are, however, accom- 

 plished and persistent beggars. They already begin to cultivate 

 the ground to a small extent around some of the forts and mis- 

 sions in the southern part of their country, and though generally 

 lazy, when once embarked in a voyage or other enterprise, as a 

 rule, work well. They seldom indulge in a plurality of wives. 



Omitting mention for the present of the remaining Indians of 

 British Columbia, such are the great divisions by race of the 

 nations of the North-west. The Esquimaux, living along the 

 whole Arctic sea-board, are never likely to come in conflict with 

 the whites, and, from the inhospitable nature of their country, 



