THE WESTERN DENES. 151) 



other, their endeavours would be directed towards catching it back. 

 With this end in view, they would hang up in the evening the patient's 

 mocassins previously stuffed with feather down, and next morning, 

 should the down be warm, they would with great care and silence 

 put them back on his feet with his supposed shade therein. When- 

 ever the moribund lay unconscious they believed his double to have 

 departed for the land of the shades or spirits, though after death it 

 received another name (nezul) and was then supposed to be the impalp- 

 able form of the man's previous self. We thus see that the immortality 

 of the soul,though in an imperfect manner, was admitted by these people. 



Concerning the state of these shades and the regions they inhabit 

 after death, their notions were rather vague and contradictoiy. 

 Though all of them seemed to agi-ee that their condition was miserable, 

 since their only food was dried toads (which among the Denes are the 

 uncleanest of animals) yet they do not seem to have known or 

 imagined much regarding the i-egions in question. 



The following myth may however give a fair idea of the belief 

 entertained by the Carriers on this subject. 



" A long time ago two young men having got lost in the woods, 

 I'eached in the course of their wanderings a certain spot where the 

 trunk of a tree entirely hollowed out by age and decay was lying on 

 the ground. Out of curiosity they crawled in to see where it led to 

 as only one end was visible. After some hard walking on all fours 

 through a dark subterranean passage, they reached a place full of 

 snakes, toads and lizards. Much frightened they endeavoured to go 

 back ; but could not — it was an awful place. Yet, summoning ujv 

 their coui'age they hurriedly ran through it and after more under- 

 ground journeying, the road widened and darkness ceased. Then 

 they suddenly found themselves to be on the top of a hill command- 

 ing the view of a broad river on the other side of which stood a 

 village. This consisted of innumerable board houses, some of which 

 were black, others red — it was the abode of the shades who were 

 then enjoying themselves on the lawn. Nobody could have an idea 

 of their number and they were making a deafening noise, caused by 

 the interest they seemed to take in their sport. 



"At this sight, one of the young men ran away and hid himself 

 in the bush. As for his coiisin (such he was), perceiving several 



