A ‘COPPER.’ 257 
it, of the tribe. Some use an eye, others an 
eagle’s head, others a frog; indeed, nearly every 
tribe adopts some rude heraldic symbol, but for 
what purpose I could not discover. 
When staying at Fort Rupert I saw, by mere 
chance, what the Hudson’s Bay trader called an 
‘Indian copper.’ He told me that it was only on 
very high festivals that it was ever produced, and 
that its value to the tribe was estimated to be 15 
slaves, equal to 200 blankets. 
This wonderful ‘ medicine’ was contained in a 
wooden case, most elaborately ornamented on its 
exterior with differently-shaped pieces of nacre 
neatly inlaid, brass-headed nails, and pieces of 
bone. The inside was lined with the softest kind 
of cedar-bark. The ‘copper’ was 2 feet 43 inches 
in length, wider at one end than the other, the 
wider end 1 foot 6 inches; and brilliantly 
painted, representing all sorts of curiously-shaped. 
devices ; interspersed amongst them were eyes of 
all sizes. It was made from a solid piece of 
native copper, that had been hammered flat. 
The trader also told me that some imitation ‘ cop- 
pers’ had been made for the Company and offered 
to the Indians, but nothing would induce them 
either to purchase or have them as a gift. What 
use this ‘ copper’ is I cannot tell, unless it isa kind 
VOL. Il. s 
