Indians of McKenzie River District. 195 



to the bottom of what was then all water, and brought up some 

 earth which was moulded into consistency by the Beaver. The 

 Loucheux entertain the same tradition in a slightly modified form. 

 Chipewyans have ideas of a good and evil principle, but their 

 ador. tion if it may be so called is paid to the latter, and consists 

 of rude gesticulations, singing, and conjurations for the benefit of 

 the sick, and called Nitch or Medicine. Their places of interment 

 are rude cages or caches of logs placed on the surface of the ground, 

 in which the body is deposited, wrapped in a blanket or moose skin, 

 while the relatives destroy their property and cut their hair in 

 sign of mourning. Their songs are unmusical and generally ac- 

 companied by drumming on a kind of tambourine, forming the 

 usual Orchestra for their dances. The latter consist of ungainly 

 leapings in a circle, commonly around the small fire used 

 to light their pipes, and in them women are permitted to 

 join. Moose-nose and hearts of animals, as well as the heads, are 

 not allowed to be eaten by women or dogs, from a superstition that 

 if such occurred the hunters would lose their skill. Among the 

 Slaves of the valley of McKenzie, rabbits are the principal food. 

 When these fail suddenly as they generally do, the natives fancy 

 that they mount by the trees into heaven, and when they reappear, 

 that they return by the same path. The moral character as well 

 as the worldly condition of these tribes has been much improved 

 by the mild and impartial sway of the Hudson's Bay Company. 

 Polygamy as well as incest, is now of very rare occurrence. In- 

 testine wars and murders are unknown, while infanticide, formerly 

 so prevalent, has become almost a tradit'on. One point of their 

 customs which I have overlooked, may here be mentioned. Their 

 manner of personal combat is to catch each other by their long 

 hair, and twist about until one falls down. Although this is in 

 general a most harmless way of settling a dispute, instances have 

 occurred of dislocation of the neck in the affray. Quarrels arise 

 commonly about women, and the fair one becomes the prize of 

 the conqueror. 



A Protestant Mission of the church of England pursuasion is 

 about to be established by the Church Missionary Society at Fort 

 Simpson on the McKenzie River, for the Slave communities, which 

 will doubtless improve in a high degree the religious notions and 

 moral character of this interesting and inoffensive people. 



The other tribes inhabiting the McKenzie River district are 1st 

 the Siccanees; 2nd. the Nahannies or Mountain Indians; 3rd. the 

 Loucheux or Kutchin ; 4th. the Esquimaux. 



