INDIANS OF THE QUINAIELT AUENCY. 



273 



held by the left hand while the two strands were rolled togctlier by a 

 slow forward and quick backward motion of the right hand. 



■//udiftt. ^ f ^ 



Fig. 6. — Small uet used for catcliiuo; small river .salmon. 



These Indians have several unwritten laws regarding the beach. If 

 a seal or otter is found by aii Indian the profits nuist be divided by any 

 companions who are with him. Formerly different parts of the beach 

 belonged to different factions. An Indian of one faction could not 

 claim i)roperty found on the beacli of another faction. This rule is not 

 as firmly adhered to as formerly. Drift-wood, when chopped and left 

 piled against a log on the beach, is never disturbed by others in search 

 of fuel; but any lost article is considered as belonging to the finder, 

 though the owner be known to him. It is diificult to change their ideas 

 in the latter respect. If they give up the article to the owner they ex- 

 pect to be paid its full value. 



BasJcetry. — The Quinaielts excel in textile industry as distinguished 

 from the tanning of furs. They have the cedar bark for the foundation 

 of basketry and strips of the i)ine root for rigid work, hemp rushes and 

 grass for the weft and ornamentation. The grass used in strengthen- 

 ing the borders of mats, rain cloaks, etc., grows on flat places. It is 

 prepared like flax, by soaking in water until the outer portion decays, 

 when it is beaten with sticks until only the fiber remains. The yellow 

 fiber or grass used by Indians for the outside of baskets is a great 

 source of traffic among these Indians, as it is only found in this locality. 

 The basket grass is gathered very carefully, one blade at a time, to 

 secure that part of the stalk that reaches about 6 inches under the 

 ground before it meets the root. To prepare the grass for drying 

 H. Mis. 170 18 



