Gatschet.] [Jan. 3, 



"Only a few relics of the Beothuks have been preserved ; they are either 

 in private hands, or on exhibition in the Newfoundland Museum. * * * 

 In the Pilley island excavation the skull of an adult was found in an 

 excellent state of preservation. It has the characteristics of the skull of a 

 savage, but it is well shaped and pretty well developed in the intellectual 

 region * * * and proves that the ' Bethuks ' were by no means of 

 a low type. * * * Only three bones of the skeleton were found 

 along with the skull. * * * But the greatest curiosity is the nearly 

 perfect skeleton of a young 'Boethic' nine or ten years of age. The 

 body had been wrapped in birch bark, doubled together, laid on its side 

 and covered with a heap of stones ; * * * it has somewhat the 

 appearance of a mummy. The skull is detached from the body, the ver- 

 tebrae of the neck having been destroyed or removed. It is well shaped 

 and in a good state of preservation. In addition, there are in the collec- 

 tion specimens of beautifully finished arrow-heads, small models of canoes 

 made of birch bark, bone ornaments, * * * which, according to 

 the Indian custom, had been buried with the dead." 



Small objects made by this people, especially bone carvings, have lately 

 come into Mr. Howley's possession which attract attention through their 

 peculiar form and nice finish. He thinks they were used as pendants to 

 their deer-skin dresses, and all have some rude design carved upon either 

 side. Many of them are simple flat pieces, either square or cut obliquely 

 at the lower ends ; others have from two to four prong-shaped ends : 



Perforated circular pieces of bone and shell accompanied the above 

 carvings, also some red ochre tied up in small packages encased in birch 

 bark, and some neatly made birch-bark cups of an oval pattern and red- 

 ochred. Also a small iron knife and tomahawk with wooden handles. 

 Some of the above articles manufactured of bone apparently represent the 

 human frame. 



What Mr. Howley learned on the Bay of Exploits about the peculiarities 

 of Shanandithit was the following : When any of the Micmacs came near 

 her during her stay with Peyton and his family, she exhibited the greatest 

 antipathy toward any of them, especially toward one Noel Boss, whom 

 she greatly dreaded. Mr. Peyton stated that, whenever he or even his 

 dog appeared near the house, Shanandithit would run screeching with 

 terror towards him and cling to him for protection. She called him Mudty 

 Noel ("Wicked Noel"), and stated that he once fired at her across the 

 Exploits river, wounding her in the hips and legs, as she was in the act of 

 cleaning venison. In proof thereof she exhibited several shot wounds at 

 the spots referred to, and W. E. Cormack confirms this statement. The 



