boas] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 397 



Canoe-Building. — Red cedar was used for canoe-building (84). The 

 canoe-builder would leave early in the morning, take his meal along, 

 and come back in the evening (S4). He continued his work until 

 the canoe was finished. Princes are described as good canoe-builders 

 (251). 



Household Furniture and Utensils. — Household furniture consisted 

 of large and small boxes, which were used for holding provisions (193). 

 Valuable property was kept in the small boxes, which were placed 

 in larger ones (193). Square carved dishes, wooden spoons, spoons 

 carved from horns of mountain goat and of bighorn sheep, were used. 

 The food was placed in the dishes, taken out with the spoons, and 

 then eaten (183, 251, 277). 



Mats were spread near the fire for the people to sit on (see p. 437). 

 When the people were asleep, the face was covered with a mat (313). 

 Various kinds of baskets are spoken of. Berries were gathered in 

 baskets (240) provided with carrying-straps (1.147). Water-tight 

 baskets were used for boiling (251) and for drinking water (211). 



Among the utensils used by the woman, the fish-knife was particu- 

 larly important (215, N 119). Knives were made of shell (125). 



Fire was made with a strike-a-light, pitch wood, and tinder 

 (N 118). Wedges for splitting wood (N 133) were cut out of small 

 trees (N 148). The large heavy stone hammers were fastened to 

 handles by means of thongs (N 133). They were used for driving in 

 wedges and for splitting wood (N 148). Wood was also cut with 

 stone axes (N 119). Stone axes were also attached to handles 

 (N 147). Axes were sharpened on whetstones (N 14S). When split- 

 ting a tree, wedges and spreading-sticks were used (89, N 133, N 148). 

 Red-hot stones used for cooking were taken out of the fire by means 

 of tongs made of cedar wood a fathom and a half long (66). 



Mats, boxes, and baskets were used for berrying (240, 1.147). 



Weaving and Netting. — Mountain goats were hunted not only for 

 then meat, but also for their wool. The wool was washed, spun, 

 dyed, and woven into dancing-blankets (152). 



Nettles are used for making nets. They are gathered, tied into 

 bundles, and taken to the house, where they are spread out. After- 

 ward they are split with a sharp piece of wood, dried in the sun, and 

 peeled. After this, the drying-process is continued, and then the 

 outer bark is peeled off with implements made of ribs of mountain 

 goats. Then the fiber is spun on the right thigh with the thick of 

 the thumb, while the loose fibers are held w T ith the first three fingers 

 of the left hand. They are twisted together by rolling them toward 

 the knee (159). 



The fiber thread is used for making nets. These are made over 

 mesh-sticks of hard wood, four fingers wide and as long as the palm 

 of the hand. The net used in salmon fishing is made twenty 



