a02 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. V. 



ing endeavours, to reach the blissful island, from which they are 

 excluded forever." 



Our author, in another place, thus refers to the dances of the Slaves 

 and Dogribs : " During our short stay with these people they amused 

 us with dancing, which they accompanied with their voices, but neither 

 their song or their dance possessed much variety. The men and 

 women formed a promiscuous ring. The former have a bone dagger or 

 piece of stick between the fingers of the right hand, which they keep 

 extended above the head in continual motion ; the left they seldom raise 

 so high, but work it backwards and forwards in an horizontal direction ; 

 while they leap about and throw themselves into various antic postures, 

 to the measure of their music, always bringing their heels close to each 

 other at every pause. The men occasionally howl in imitation of some 

 animal and he who continues this violent exercise for the longest period 

 appears to be considered as the best performer. The women suffer their 

 arms to hang as without the power of motion." Finally, Mackenzie 

 treats of the game of the Platter as played by the Beaver and Rocky 

 Mountain Indians : " The instruments of it consist of a platter, or dish, 

 made of wood or bark, and six round, or square, but flat pieces of metal, 

 wood, or stone, whose sides or surfaces are of different colours. These 

 are put into the dish, and, after being for some time shaken together, are 

 thrown into the air and received again into the dish with considerable 

 dexterity, when, by the number that are turned up of the same mark or 

 colour, the game is regulated. If there should be equal numbers, the 

 throw is not reckoned ; if two or four the platter changes hands. * * * 

 They carry their love of gaming to excess ; they will pursue it for a 

 succession of days and nights, and no apprehension of ruin nor influence 

 of domestic affection will restrain them from the indulgence of it." 



After the mention of certain feasts and dances, Father Morice adds : 

 " Another observance, formerly in vogue among the Carriers, was the 

 the-tsoclrwoes (precipitate exit). This was analogous in character to, if 

 not identical with, a practice of which we read as having existed among 

 certain European and Asiatic nations, the Lycanthropia of the ancients, 

 the Loupgarou, of France, the Persian Ghoule, the Teutonic Wehr-zvolf : 

 all, probably, the result of a simulated ecstasy of superstitious origin. 

 In the case in question and on the occasion of a large gathering of 

 aborigines, a band of men would suddenly run out of a lodge, and, 

 simulating madness, would, amidst wild yells and incoherent songs, make 

 frantic efforts to bite the passers-by, or, failing in this they would seize 

 upon a dog and devour him on the spot. * * * Apart from the 

 superstitious dances of which mention has been made in the preceding 



