162 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



I will make a choice and confine my remarks to a few of those 

 ceremonial rites which may be of interest to the sociologist. 



Prominent among these are the observances peculiar to the fair 

 sex, and many of them are remarkably analogous to those practised 

 by the Hebrew women, so much so that, were it not savouring of 

 profanity, the ordinances of the Dene ritxial code might be termed a 

 new edition " revised and considerably augmented "of the Mosaic 

 ceremonial law. Among the Carriers, as soon as a girl had experi- 

 enced the first flow of the menses which in the female constitution 

 are a natural discharge, her father believed himself under the obliga- 

 tion of atoning for her supposedly sinful condition by a small im- 

 promptu distribution of clothes ^ among the natives. This periodical 

 state of women was considered as one of legal impurity fateful both 

 to the man who happened to have any intercourse, however indirect, 

 with her, and to the woman herself who failed in scrupulously 

 observing all the rites prescribed by ancient usage for persons in her 

 condition. 



Upon entering into that stage of her life, the maiden was immedi- 

 ately sequestered from company, even that of her parents, and com- 

 pelled to dwell in a small Vjranch liut by herself away from beaten 

 paths and the gaze of passers-by. As she was supposed to exercise 

 malefic influence on any man who might inadvertently glance at her, 

 she had to wear a sort of head-dress combining in itself the purposes 

 of a veil, a bonnet and a mantlet. It was made of tanned skin, its 

 forepart was shaped like a long fringe completely hiding from view 

 the face and breasts ; then it formed on the head a close fitting cap or 

 bonnet, and finally fell in a broad band almost to the heels. This 

 head-dress was made and publicly placed on her head by a paternal 

 aunt, who received at once some present fi'om the girl's father. When, 

 three or four years later, the period of sequestration ceased, only this 

 same aunt had the right to take oflf her niece's ceremonial head-dress. 



1 Might not this distribution be considered as a coincident equivalent vestige of the animal 

 offerings prescribed by the Book of Leviticus, chapter v. , for the expiation of sins (including legal 

 uncleanness) ? One should not forget the greatly altered circumstances in the midst of which 

 the Dene now live, nor the fact that their only domestic animal, the dog, is to them as to the 

 Jews, an unclean animal. On the other hand, having lost the knowledge of an only God 

 through probable peregrinations among, and commiscegenation with, shamanistic asiatic races, 

 they have no constituted priesthood, to receive these offerings and may reasonably be supposed 

 to have substituted therefor the aggregate of their equals. 



