IMPLEMENTS AND WEAPONS OF GEAIIAM ISLAND. 59 



human being taking possession of a beast or bird, but they formerly believed, and to a 

 great extent still believe, that the spirit of a human being deceased enters the flesh again 

 in the person of a new-born babe, and it was the medicine-man's business to reveal 

 whose soul it was and the name of the child. They also believed that every living 

 thing, beasts, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects had spirits, which after death returned to 

 their spirits abodes. 



Great regard was paid by the ancient Haida to the number eight. For instance, eight 

 products of the chase, as seals, otters, etc., was a cause of rejoicing. To catch eight halibut 

 was a subject for congratulation. Eight times ten was favourably regarded, and eight 

 hundred was the ne plus ultra or summit of good fortune. A chief who could give away 

 eight hundred pieces of property in a feast was pre-eminent. 



[In a late communication, Mr. Mackenzie states that he has found, on a small island 

 named Tee, opposite the mouth of Lignite brook in Naden Harbour, a considerable portion 

 of a stone arrow-head. The portion of an arrow-head in question is nearly two inches in 

 length, but wants both tip and base. It is formed of streaked red jasper, narrowly 

 tapering in form, but rather thick, one side being distinctly more convex than the other. 

 It is rather neatly chipped, and a stone identical with it in character is found commonly 

 in pebbles at the same place. [No. 2680.] 



Mr. Mackenzie regards this as a very interesting discovery, as it is the only specimen 



of a chipped arrow-head or spear-head which he has ever known to have been found on 



the Queen Charlotte Islands. He further states, that with one exception, the Haida to 



whom he showed it were much surprised, and said that they had never seen or heard of 



such a thing before. The exception was an Indian who hunts a good deal on the west 



coast of the islands, where he stated that he had found such chipped stones at one place 



there. 1 



G. M. D. 



