296 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1884. 



No more attractive form and ornamentation of basketry are to be 

 seen than those produced by the Indians of this Thlinket stock extend 

 ing from Mount Saint Eliasto Queen Charlotte Archipelago, including 

 Sitka. 



HAIDA INDIANS. 



These Indians live on Queen Charlotte Archipelago and adjacent 

 islands. Their basket work differs in form from that of the Chilkahts, 

 or Thlinkets, owing probably to the demands of trade ; but the twined 

 method is followed (Fig. 12) and the ornamentation is produced in a 

 similar manner. The quality of the ware, however, is a little degener 

 ated and more gaudy (Fig. 15). The Haidas are very skillful in imi 

 tating all sorts of chinaware in basketry, such as teapots, sugar bowls, 

 toilet articles, table mats, bottles, and hats. They also introduce curved 

 lines and spirals with good effect. The basketry hats of spruce roots, 

 the most striking of their original designs, are made by the twining 

 process (Fig. 14). The crown is twined weaving of the most regular 

 workmanship and the fabric is perfectly water- tight when thoroughly 

 wet (Fig. 15). An element of ornamentation is introduced into the brims 

 by which a series of diamond patterns cover the whole surface (Fig. 16). 

 This decoration is produced thus : Beginning at a certain point the 

 weaver includes two warp strands in a half twist, instead of one ; then 

 makes two regular twists around single- warp strands. The next time 

 she comes around she repeats the process, but her double stitch is one in 

 advance of or behind its predecessor. A twilled effect of any shape 

 may be thus produced, and rhombs, triangulated fillets, and chevrons 

 made to appear on either surface. 



The "fastening off" of the work is done either by bending down the 

 free ends of the warp and shoving them out of sight under the stitches 

 of the twisted web, or a braid of four strands forms the last row (Fig. 

 16), set on so that the whole braid shows outside and only one row of 

 strands shows inside. The ends of the warp splints are then cropped 

 close to the braid. This appearance of the entire four-stranded braid 

 on the external surface is produced by passing each of the four strands 

 alternately behind one of the warp sticks as the braiding is being done 

 (Fig. 16). (Compare this with what was previously said about the bas 

 ket from the Malabar coast, page 292.) 



Special attention should be paid to the painted ornamentation on 

 these hats (Figs. 14 and 15) showing head, wings, feet, and tail of the 

 duck, laid on in black and red in the conventional manner of ornamenta 

 tion in vogue among the Haidas and used in the reproduction of their 

 various totems on all of their houses, wood and slate carvings, and the 

 ornamentation of their implements. * 



*A very interesting instance of survival is to be seen in the rag carpets of these 

 Indians. The missionaries have taught the women to save up their rags and to 

 cover their floors with pretty mats. They are allowed to weave them in their own 

 way, however, and the result is a mat constructed on the ancient twined model, pre 

 cisely as the weaving is done on the mats and hats. 



