120 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



[Vol. IV. 



CHAPTER VII. 



Bark Implements. 



In no branch of aboriginal industry is the Western Denes' and especi- 

 ally the Carriers' inferiority as workmen more apparent than with regard 

 to their household utensils. Most certainly no more primitive ware 

 could be imagined, both as regards material and workmanship. It has 

 already been pointed out that no pottery or clay objects of any description 

 ever existed among them. With reference to the Carriers and the 

 Tse'kehne, the list of unknown technological items must be extended so 

 as to comprise even the twined basket-work vessels so common among 

 the majority of American indigenous races. These are replaced among 

 the aforesaid tribes by corresponding vessels made of either birch 

 (Bitula papyracea) or spruce (Abies nigra) bark. Only the coarser 

 variety of vessels, thoes the object of which is but temporary, are made 

 of the latter material, the remainder, those which are properly household 

 utensils, being invariably of birch-bark. 



Fig. no. 



Fig. 109. 



The most popular vessels among the Carriers are the two herewith 

 illustrated. Both are of a single piece of bircK bark, and this must in- 

 deed be understood of all birch or.^spruce bark utensils. The shape and 

 cut of the material previous to sewing are represented in figs. 1 1 1 and 

 112. In the former figure, besides these, the seams and stitches will be 



