158 



EBV. GEO. PATTEESON ON THE BEOTHIKS 



number of these are notched or scalloped on the edges. (Plate IX, 1-6.) The majority, 

 however, consist of flat pieces of bone about nn eighth of an inch in thickness, from a 

 quarter to seven-eighths of an inch in width at the smallest end to from seven-eighths to 

 over an inch at the widest, and in length from two to four and a-half inches. These are 

 all incised on both sides. Bat in no case could I see anything like an attempt to present 

 an animal or any other object. The marking consists of lines and angles, forming designs, 

 some of them intricate and showing considerable ingenuity. Scarce two are found alike, 

 and some of the lines are extremely delicate, being not more than a tenth of an inch in 

 length, and yet are cut the exact length and at the right distance from others to suit the 

 design. It is difficult to understand what instruments they had by which they could do 

 work so fine. (Plate IX, 7-13.) 



Cartwright's idea that these were amulets has occurred to others. It was the view 

 of a Micmac to whom the pendants from Rencontre were shown. He at once proclaimed 

 the owner a great "witch," and able with such articles to strike his enemy dead. But it 

 is plain that those in the boy's grave had been attached to the border of his robe, and 

 seemed intended for ornaments. This is confirmed by the fact that Shauandithit has 

 drawn a picture of a dancer as in his robe with such ornaments around its lower 

 edge. (See fig. 4.) We cannot suppose that this was their ordinary every-day dress, but 



*^ 



Fig.i. Indian Dancing Costume. (^Facsimile of drawing by Shanandithit.) 



that it would be their dress for ceremonial occasions. This agrees with what we find 

 in the South Seas. Rev. Dr. Greddie gave me what was called " a dancing dress " of the 

 people of one of these islands, which consisted mainly of shells so strung together and 

 suspended as to rattle with every motion of the body. "With these are others with teeth 

 like combs, and possibly they were used for that purpose. (Plate IX, 14, 15.) There are 

 also rectangular blocks of v/alrus ivory, from an inch to an inch and a quarter the one 

 way and from seven-eighths to an inch the other, and from a quarter to three eighths 

 of an inch in thickness. (Plate IX, 16-18.) There are also small diamond-shaped pieces 

 of bone, some about an inch in the longest diameter by five-eighths in the shortest, but 

 most over two inches one way by about an inch the other, and from one-quarter to 



