122 Shells as evidence of the Migrations. 
made of an interesting reference to the use of pearl-shell 
among the Indians of southern Alaska. 
In his description of Port des Francais, the celebrated 
navigator, M.de la Perouse, remarks on the ability of the 
Indians of this neighbourhood to inlay boxes of elegant 
form with mother-of-pearl. Unfortunately, he does not 
state whether the true pearl-shell was employed, or that 
of the abalone (AHalotis). This, however, is not of very 
great importance, as the point of chief interest is the fact 
that the use of the pearl-shell for inlay purposes is 
strongly suggestive of Asiatic influence. Other details, 
given by Perouse, concerning the many curious customs 
of these same people, such as ‘platform burials, the 
‘special preservation of the head of the deceased and 
cremation of the body,’ etc., provide equally suggestive 
evidence of this.'” 
The ffatiotis, which also yields good pearls, was 
applied to many varied uses by other savage peoples on 
the Pacific coast of America, especially in California, 
where these pearly shells have been found in great 
numbers in the burial places of the ancient tribes. Putnam 
records the discovery of several objects inlaid with Ha/zotrs 
shell in graves on the islands of Santa Catalina and of 
Santa Cruz, the pieces of shell being held in place by a 
thin cement of asphaltum."” 
The remarkable resemblance between the shell-art 
of ancient California and that of the Pacific Islands is 
very significant, 
"46 G. A. Cooke, of. cié., ii, p. 106; see also Niblack, ‘** The Coast 
Indians of Southern Alaska and Northern British Columbia.” A’ept. OLS. 
Nat. Mus., 1887-8 (1890), pp. 225-386 
7 FW, Patnam, ** U.S, Geographical Survey west of the rooth 
Meridian : vol vii., Archeology.’ Washington, 1879, pp. 232-3. 
