1902-3.] The Nah'ane and their Language. 523 



Tlhinket. With them the nose, without being of the regular aquiline 

 type, is not so squatty as among the Tsilhkoh'tin and other tribes. The 

 lips are full, the eyes dark and not quite as large as is common with the 

 Carriers. The forehead is low, broad and bulging immediately above 

 the eyes. The hair is invariably black, coarse and straight. 



Their beard is scanty, though a few, especially such as have taken 

 to shaving — they are very progressive and great imitators — disport a fair 

 quantity of dark, bristly facial hair. 



As to their complexion, it varies considerably according to the 

 individuals. Contrary to what I have noticed in other tribes, some of 

 the eastern Nah'ane women have cheeks of a tinge which might almost 

 be characterized as rosy, though the facies of others is quite swarthy. 



All the adults above forty have the septum pendent and pierced 

 through with a hole which held formerly a large silver ring, perhaps two 

 inches in diameter. The leading men or notables wear likewise silver 

 rings hanging from the lobes of the ear, and these are the only present 

 remnants of the many ornaments which the helix was originally made 

 to support. 



Neither in blood, customs nor language are the western Nah'ane pure 

 Dene. They are indebted to no small extent to the Tlhinket of Fort 

 Wrangell for their present make-up. To them also they undoubtedly 

 owe that lack of moral strength and force of character which has left 

 them such an easy prey to the vices of unscrupulous white men. Very 

 (ew are to-day the western Nah'ane who can be represented as bodily 

 sane. Syphilis, a disease hardly known among the other Dene, is but 

 too prevalent among them. Liquor is also slowly but surely killing 

 them out. 



I am bound to add, however, that adverse circumstances are a 

 great deal to blame for the development of such pitiful results. Had 

 missionaries established themselves among them before the rush of 

 strangers to the Cassiar mines, the natives would not, in all probability, 

 be the degraded beings they have become. Since the last few years, a 

 representative of the Anglican Church has struck his tent on the arid 

 hill of Thalhthan. But I am sure he could not well himself take 

 exception to my statement that his influence has not been in the interest 

 of temperance. 



Though no other Dene that I know of have had to undergo the 

 test of being left alone to wage their war against such a degraded foe as 



