NORTHWEST COAST INDIANS 5) 
bureau stood in the wind and rain. Perhaps it had been owned and 
highly regarded by the woman interred or had been something that she 
had longed for and now that she was dead her relatives were showing 
the greatness of their grief by sacrificing a valuable piece of property 
to the elements. ‘The Indians often erect beside the graves curious 
monuments such as wooden representations of “coppers,” as is shown in 
the illustration on page 34. These coppers are pieces of metal of dis- 
tinetive shape and markings. ‘They are of no great intrinsic value, but 

TOTEM POLES, ALERT BAY 
when bought and sold among the Indians they increase to almost fabulous 
worth. When a copper is transferred there is always a gathering and a 
feast. ‘The Indians value a copper so highly that the white store keeper 
takes the piece of metal as credit and advances groceries and dry goods 
to the Indians for perhaps a whole year until they are able to go to the 
cannery and earn money. On coming back from the canneries the 
Indians always redeem their copper securities and again use them, buy- 
ing and selling them at enhanced values and with special ceremonials. 
