264 PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



luiisceiidiuy: the river with a boat only one method can be used, that 

 ot "cordelhug-." A party of Tathitaiis were passed above the Chit- 

 sletcliia, en route to Tani!, in a baidarra for the fishing- season. The 

 skins of their boat were to l)e dressed at the destination and made into 

 clothing-, and the return tri]) was not contemplated unlil tlie ice had 

 formed on the river, tlius enabling them to sledge back. There is a 

 trail along the river from Taral to the mouth of 8tana River, tliough not 

 always on the same bank of it, and in some cases 15 or 3 miles from the 

 river. 



To every member of a family belongs on an average tliree dogs, whicli 

 are used for hunting moose and bear and other game, and for carrying- 

 packs. They are a source of great annoyance in tlie vicinity of rabbit 

 snares, unless kept at the house — usually by shoving- one or both front 

 feet through a string tied around the neck. As pack animals they are 

 exceedingly valuable to people situated as their masters are. They do 

 not average more than 18 to 20 inches in height, yet they can carry for 

 short distances 20 to 33 pounds, and day after day 25 pounds. 1 can 

 heartily recommend a pack train of these animals for journeys where 

 the greatest transporting- power consuming the least quantity of food is 

 desirable. These dogs are never harnessed to the sleds, which the 

 natives haul and push, but transport their burdens directly on tho 

 back. The men very seldom carry jiacks other than their arms and 

 bedding, the work of transportation being assigned to the women, who 

 pack themselves and manage the pack train of dogs. Canoe transporta- 

 tion in none of its forms is attempted on the Copper or any of its tribu- 

 taries, nor is it probable that it ever will be, owing to the remarkably 

 rapid current produced by the unusual fall in the river of 3,100 feet in 

 330 miles. 



The chief amusement of these people other than eating, and the one 

 they always resort to when hunger is satisfied, is singing. Unassisted 

 by any musical instrument, not even anj' form of the tumtum, nearly all 

 join in the songs, usually led by the voung men and boys. 



These are numerous and varied in character, those intended for court- 

 ship being much less exciting than the more epic ones. Singing is fre- 

 quently indulged in whilst enjoying a meal, and all the bodies may be 

 seen keeping- perfect time to it The children are taught to sing almost 

 as soon as to talk. When dancing accompanies its violence is in direct 

 proportion to the stress of voice. 



The spoken language is nmrkedly accented and seldom are more than 

 three consecutive words uttered with the same intonation. Most dis- 

 syllabic nouns and many adjectives are accented on the last syllable. 

 The practice of delivering orations is as frequent amongst them as 

 among the Sioux and Cheyennes. The following limited vocabulary 

 may serve to give a faiiit idea of the nature of the language. The an- 

 nexed numerals of the White Mountain Apaches, as obtained from Lieut. 

 Y. B. Dugau, U. S. Army, who was ten months on the San Carlos Res- 

 ervation, shows an astonishing- similarity to the same of the Atnatanas^ 



