402 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN. 31 



The occupation of the hunter while in the hunting-camp is described 

 as follows: A man would go out early in the morning setting his 

 traps (139). He would return late in the evening (139); and two 

 days later he would go out again to look after his traps. He cut 

 up the game and carried it home to the camp (139, 1.79). When 

 he was very tired from carrying his load, he would whistle (153). 

 When he had obtained small game, like raccoons, the animals were 

 skinned on the following day, and the meat was dried. After this 

 work was done, he would go out again and look after his traps or 

 go hunting. When he had caught a great many animals, his wife 

 or other women of the family would help him carry the game home 

 (139, N 119). After an arduous expedition the hunter would take a 

 rest (99). 



Sometimes the hunter's family would continue to live in the winter 

 village, and the hunter would be absent for as much as six weeks at 

 a time, and would return home only for two or three days (317). 



In the fall some hunters would also go up the mountains to hunt 

 mountain sheep (152) and mountain goats. It would seem that the 

 hunting was not always confined to a man's own hunting-ground, 

 but that the family would roam over long distances and visit unknown 

 parts of the country. Thus in 141 the journey of ten brothers and 

 their wives is described. 



In spring, when the hunters were moving from Skeena River to 

 Nass River, they would sometimes start from their camps to go 

 hunting on the mountains (174). 



Porcupines were killed with a club of yew wood (108, 145). Then 

 the bind legs were tied together, and the game was hung on a tree, 

 to be gathered when the hunter went back home. It is said that 

 formerly porcupines were smoked out of their dens (108), but that this 

 is forbidden now. Marmots were hunted on the mountains (1.193). 

 Mountain-goat hunting was evidently considered a particularly noble 

 and dangerous occupation (1.117). The hunter used spear, bow and 

 arrows, a mountain staff, and snowshoes, and wore a hat and rain- 

 coat (see p. 398). In climbing, he chopped steps in the glacier 

 with his ax (N 201). Dogs were used to drive the goats (1.143). 

 Generally the hunter is said to have two dogs (150, N 201). Moun- 

 tain sheep were hunted in the same way (245). After the goats, 

 sheep, or other game were killed, the hunter let them slide down over 

 the snow of the mountains (98, 2S3, 1.95). The fat of the goats, 

 sometimes the meat also (95), was taken home (132, 1.93). It was 

 carried wrapped around the mountain staff (96, N 231). Bears were 

 smoked out of their dens and either suffocated (283) or killed with 

 the spear (244, 1.119). Otters were also smoked out of their dens 

 and clubbed (168). Dogs were used to find the bear dens (N 201). 

 Sometimes the mice would eat the bait out of the traps (174). 



