OCCUPATIONS. 



275 



first and last mentioned animals a claw or a tip of an ear may serve as 

 a souvenir. 



Tlie niider lip of the bear (Fig\ 8(5) is the portion preserved. The 



skin is cut off and spread tlat to dry. 

 painted with powdered hematite 

 mixed with water or oil. 



Tlie outer edj^es or lips are orna- 

 mented with a single row of many- 

 colored beads. At the apex or mid- 

 dle of the lip is attached a pendant 

 in the form of a lisli. The fish is 3 

 or 4 inches long, made of cloth and 

 has a row of beads extending around 

 the entire circumference of the 

 leugtli of the body. 



These mementos are procured with 

 great difiiculty from the hunter who 

 has risked his life in the struggles 

 attending the capture of the beasts, 

 for the barren-ground bear of that 

 region is not a timid creature like 

 the black bear; and unless the 



The flesh side of tlie skin is 



<i; 



Pig, 86. — Indian amulet of bearskin. 



hunter is well prepared for the ani- 

 mal he would do well to let it alone. 



The occupations of the sexes are so numerous that a detailed account 

 alone would suffice, as the various seasons have their regular routine la- 

 bors besides those unexpectedly appearing. In the spring the Indians 

 of both .sexes come to the post of Fort Chiiio to trade their winter's hunt 

 of fur-bearing animals. About the middle of March word is brought 

 that the camp of old nu'u and women with a number of children, left 

 from the parties scattered in all directions during the previous fall, are 

 slowly approaching the post. They come by easy stages, camping 

 here and there for a day or two, but striving to be near about the time 

 that the earlier parties come in to trade. These latter straggle along 

 from the middle of April to the last of May, those who had ascended 

 the streams to the headwaters often not arriving until after the breaking 

 of the ice in the river, which may be as late as the 15th of June. When 

 they collect at the ])ost they have an opportunity to meet after a sepa- 

 ration of months and enjoy a period of rest. The trading of their furs 

 and other articles continues slowly until the parties have made their 

 selections of guns, amnumition, tobacco, and cloths, a (piantity of flour, 

 biscuit, peas, beans, rice, and sugar. Molasses is purchnsed iu enor- 

 mous quantities, a hogshead of l»0 gallons sufficing for only three or 

 four days' traile. Other articles of varied character, from needles and 

 beads to calico and cloth, are bought by the women. 



The parties receive the allowance given in advance for the prosecu- 



