1892-93.] NOTES ON THE WESTERN DENES. 125 



tJm-tJie], " water-receptacle." This circumstance accounts also for its 

 peculiar form — I mean the contraction of its upper part in faint imitation 

 of the neck of a jar. Of course this vessel was made water-tight, the 

 wattup used as thread being, after sewing, carefully pressed in with the 

 finger previously coated with the balsam of the spruce {Abies balsamea). 



The latter is the original Carrier kettle or boiler,* which is now alto- 

 gether antiquated. It is seamless ; the bark of which it is made has simply 

 been folded up at its four corners and is so retained by means of a {q.'w 

 stitches and of an encircling rod on the outside of the rim. Therein 

 were boiled the roots, fish or meat of the family repast, and the aborigines 

 are still loud in their praise of its excellence as a rapid boiler. Naturally 

 enough, the frailty of its material required that care be taken lest it come 

 in immediate contact with the flames. These primitive kettles were not 

 only serviceable, but even much more durable than might be expected. 

 In fact, their only part which was at all liable to get burnt was the 

 wooden rim hoop, which had to be renewed from time to time. 



On grand occasions, such as the famous " potlaches " or ceremonial 

 banquets f so much in vogue among almost all the British Columbian 

 tribes, large square boxes imported from the sea coast, were called into 

 requisition. When filled with water and meat or fish, heated stones were 

 repeatedly cast in until their contents were boiled. 



The contrivance illustrated by fig. 1 19 consists of two parts, both of 

 which are of spruce bark. Its object cannot well be understood without 

 some details on one of the Carriers' most important industries, berry 

 collectiing and preserving. 



Conspicuous among the various species of wild fruit which yearly ripens 

 in profusion throughout their territory is the service berry ( AnielancJiier 

 alnifolia). So important is it in their estimation that they generally call 

 it merely the fruit, mai. At the end of every summer, the women gather 

 immense quantities of it, first in their the| and then in their tcajya^ 

 wherein it is brought home. When not eaten fresh, seasoned, as a rule, 

 with bear grease or salmon oil, the berries are kept for future use under 

 the form of large, thin cakes resembling plugs of tobacco. They are 

 then prepared by a process which, if primitive, is not the less complicated 



As soon as the desired quantity of the fruit has been secured, the 

 Carriers build on the ground, in a sandy spot, if possible, the below 



* Nusai, sec. root. The name of the modern kettle is ttsa'. 



^ HorwBndta, "the going near" a verbal noun, which confirms what I have written else- 

 where, namely that such feasts, no less than several other practices, are of recent origin among 

 the Western Denes. 



