130 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN IXSTITU I'E. [VoL. IV. 



which grows hanging from most coniferous trees, especially the Douglas 

 pine — hence its Carrier name Uh-ra, "above-hair." The natives submit 

 it, after gathering, to a thorough washing, till it loses its outer colouring 

 matter. They next mix it with dough as one would do with raisins, and 

 bake the whole. The lichen has then on the cake the same effect as 

 would a copious application of yeast powder on a loaf of bread. The 

 Carriers assure m-e that, thus prepared, it is very sweet and savory. 

 Prior to the introduction of flour, they cooked it with grease. 



Although the shaman's influence was great and his services frequently 

 resorted to among the prehistoric Western Denes, especially the Carriers, 

 natural remedies such as provided by the vegetable kingdom were by no 

 means despised by them. Nay more, their medical flora was rather 

 extensive, and it may be said to their credit, that several of nature's 

 most valuable secrets were no mysteiies to them. Among the herbs or 

 vegetable growths esteemed among them for their medicinal properties, I 

 may mention the following : — 



Tatlis (Polyporus officinalis), a fungoid growth from the Douglas pine. 

 It was ground down into a fine powder and taken internally in a little 

 water as a panacea against biliousness. According to the dose, it was a 

 purgative or an emetic. It was very effective ; so effective indeed as to 

 be really dangerous. For that reason it has been altogether discarded 

 in favour of milder laxatives such as the bark of the elder ( Sainbucus 

 racemosus), which is pounded while fresh and taken in cold water. 



The young shoots of two species of spruce Abies nigra and A. 

 balsaniea, were, and are still frequently, used as a febrifuge or against 

 any kind of complaint resulting in cutaneous inflammation or eruptions- 

 The shoots are thoroughl}' boiled and the decoction drank while warm. 



A decoction of the boughs of the juniper bush (Jnniperus occidentalis) 

 is also considered effective against such maladies as fever or measles. 



In cases of such cutaneous eruptions as particularly affect young 

 children, the diseased part is thoroughly smeared with the mash of the 

 swamp cranberry (Oxicoccus palustris), and it is claimed that beneficial 

 results never fail to follow within an astonishingly short space of time. 



The root of the aspen (Popiilus treuinloides) thoroughly chewed and 

 applied on cuts and bruises, is very extensively resorted to as a sure 

 means of stopping bleeding. Excellent and well authenticated results 

 have more than o.ice attested its efficacy. In urgent cases, the bark of 

 the tree is used instead of the root. 



The root of two other plants ^i-bz-reh* a liliaceous plant, and the 



* Lit. "Dos: — urine— toot." 



