SUPERSTITIONS AND TRADITIONS 263 



posal as he pleases. In the Barren Grounds, of course, 

 the caribou head becomes the common property of the 

 party, but the dogs never get any part of it. At the posts 

 it is exceedingly difficult to trade a head from the Ind- 

 ians; and the Indian women never eat the chin, believing 

 they would grow a beard if they did. 



These Northland Indians are filled, in fact, with all sorts 

 of ridiculous superstitions, but their traditions are few. 

 That of the Barren Grounds seems to be very sensible. 

 It sets forth that during a time of peace all the animals 

 were killed for a grand feast, at which all the tribes were 

 to gather on the Barren Grounds. An old woman who 

 was trusted to watch the pots allowed the grease to run 

 over, which fired the soil and burned up the entire 

 country. 



They are strong believers in reincarnation in animals. 

 It has always been a belief among them that men and 

 women after death pass into some of the wild beasts of 

 the country. Many years ago, they say, a woman strayed 

 into the Barrens among the musk cattle, and eventually 

 became one. Because of this they believe the musk cat- 

 tle understand their speech. It is quite common to hear 

 the Indians jabbering, apparently to themselves, in their 

 chase, but it is said they are really directing the flight of 

 the musk-oxen. If this is true, either the Indians have 

 slight consideration for themselves or the musk-oxen are 

 distressingly disobedient, otherwise I imagine Beniah and 

 his party would have commanded the bands we saw to 

 give us less running. It is claimed, too, that the Indians 

 do not chatter to any other animal; but this is not so, be- 

 cause I heard them when they were chasing caribou. 



Still they do have a firm belief in the rehabilitation of 

 the two-legged into the four-legged animal. I was assured 

 in all seriousness by the interpreter at Great Slave Lake 



