116 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



laced with quantities of Dentalium or Hyaqua shells. Sometimes 

 these ceremonial wigs were ornamented with stout bristles taken from 

 the sea lion's whiskers, trimmed so as to look like horns worn on the 

 forehead. 



As for their wearing apparel, without being strictly uniform, it 

 may be said that in no case was it of a very complicated pattern. 

 Besides the 'pagne" or breech cloth which was seldom removed, 

 they wove a sort of tunic or loose vestment of beaver, lynx or 

 marmot skin, with the fur next to the body. The outside was 

 painted in vaiiegated designs in vermilion and adorned with 

 numerous fringes to conceal the seams and bands of dentalium or 

 dyed porcupine quills. A i)air of leggings reaching to the thigh, 

 together with mocass us, which, in the case of the poor were of 

 salmon skin, completed their costume. Unlike their kinsmen of the 

 Great Mackenzie Basin, they hud no hood attached to their coat or 

 tunic ; but instead, wore a liead-ilress made of a small ground-hocf 

 skin and fashioned somewhat like a Scotch bonnet. 



The women's wearing apparel diflFered only from that ot the men 

 by the length of their tunic, which was ordinarily covcred»with a 

 ^■kin cloak or a woven rabbit skin robe falling to their feet. 



Washing may be said to be a European custom introduced among 

 them. They clean their hands only, which they wash by tilling their 

 mouths with water and then squirting it over them in intermittent 

 streams'. 



III. 



Considered in their social condition and daily pursuits, a portion 

 of the Western Denes are nomadic and part may be described as 

 semi-sedentary. To the first class belong the S^kanais and Eastern 

 Nah'anes, the Chilh;(Otins, Carriers and VVestern Nah'anes fornnng 

 the second. Thus, whilst their mode ot" living prevents the Sekanais 

 from dwelling in houses and congregating together in villages, our 

 Carriers pass the winter in lodges accommodating several families. Mini 



1 This reminds the comparative Socioloffist of a similar custom prevailing anion-; the 

 Tai-tars or Moguls of the lliddle Ages. William of Rubruck, (St. Louis* envoy to the gi-eat 

 Khan, 1253) says that "They never wash their clothes. Cleanliness' is in no more favor with 

 " the men than with their ladies, and their mode of washing their faces and hands is by filling 

 " their mouths with water and squirting it over them."— liela'ion cles Voyages en Tarlarie,. 

 Benjernn. 



