THE NORTHERN ATHABASCANS 



163 



prayer books they carried from one to a dozen cards and photo- 

 graphs which, even if they were all exactly alike, were carefully 

 spread out upon the blanket before their possessor before the 

 service began. 



One effect of the introduction of Christianity has been to 

 abolish polygamy. I heard of but one Dog Rib — rejoicing 

 under the euphonious name of Buggins — who had more than 

 one wife. Several women are said to have been left to die of 

 starvation as the result of the too abrupt introduction of the 

 new order of things. 



Many of the old superstitions still obtain. When moving our 

 camp at the edge of the Barren Ground, a two days' trip, two of 

 the young women were forced to break new tracks with their 

 snow-shoes in the soft deep snow, several yards from the trail. 

 How such a senseless and cruel custom could have arisen, much 

 less be perpetuated under the eyes of the missionaries, it is dif- 

 ficult to understand, as the monthly recurrence of their condi- 

 tion causes a great deal of unnecessary hardship, owing to their 

 journeys in the pursuit of caribou. 



Provision. The Company's posts are built upon the shores of 

 the lakes and rivers at points where fish may be obtained in 

 large numbers. Only sufficient flour is imported to allow the 

 officer in charge and his family from two to four hundred 

 pounds, and the engaged servant but one hundred pounds, a 

 year. Dried fish or dried caribou ribs are kept for the use of 

 the men while traveling, and frequently as the regular ration 

 when the fishery fails. Fresh meat is the most desirable pro- 

 vision, for which the Indian receives a fair price. Pounded 

 meat, grease (marrow, tallow and bone grease), tongues, 

 beaver tails and moose muffles, are not traded so much as for- 

 merly. The Indians say, when questioned, "You do not give us 

 your good things, so we will eat our choice food ourselves." 

 While at the Dog Rib camps at the edge of the Barren Ground, 

 I saw large quantities of pounded meat, grease, and tongues 

 eaten, and all was hospitably shared with me, yet they refused 

 to sell any of these luxuries if carried away from the camp. 

 Though they were offered a high price, they did not bring one- 

 fourth of the grease needed at Rae during the winter of 1893-4. 

 The Indians when visiting the trading stations are lodged in the 

 cabins of the metis servants, to whom they bring considerable 



