ON TIIK KTIIXOLOGICAL SnUVKV OK CANADA. 81-1 



After the birth of the child, when tlie woman had passed the after- 

 birth, she was taken or went down to the river or inlet and bathed in the 

 icy-cold water, no matter what time of year or what kind of weather it 

 was. My informant stated that she had been thus taken to the river and 

 Y.-ashed all over after the birtli of her lirst child in the month of January, 

 when the water was covered with ice and the ground with snow. Ablu- 

 tive ceremonies played a vei-y important part in the lives of the old-time 

 Sk'qO'mic, as we may easily gather from their old customs. J\Ien, women, 

 and children bathed constantly. Among the young men it formed an 

 important feature in their training. Each sex had its own special bathing 

 place, men and women, or boys and girls, after childhood never bathing 

 together. 



The birth of twins was a very special event, twins always possessing, 

 it was believed, supernormal powers, the commonest of which was control 

 of the wind. It would seem that the birth of twins was usually presaged 

 by dreams on the part of both parents. In these dreams minute instruc- 

 tions would be given to the parents as to the course they must pursue in 

 the care and up-bringing of the children. These they must follow im- 

 plicitly in every particular. If they were neglected it was thought and 

 believed that the twins would die. If the event took place in winter a 

 fire must be built in the woods, but the husband must on no account 

 touch or have anything to do with it.^ Immediately after the birth 

 both husband and wife must bathe in cold water, using the tips of spruce, 

 fir, and cedar branches to scrub themselves with. After this they must 

 remain in seclusion, apart from the rest of the tribe, for a month. Any 

 breach of this rule was regarded as a grave offence, which was bound to 

 bring severe punishment upon the offenders. The hair of twins was sup- 

 posed never to be cut. If for any reason this rule was departed from, 

 great care had to be taken to bury all that had been cut off. Neglect of 

 this, it was believed, would bring about a severe winter. Throughout the 

 whole childhood of the twins the greatest care had to be taken of them. 

 If at any time wind was desired for sailing, the bodies of the twins •'.vould 

 be rubbed with oil or grease, after which, it is said, the wind would im- 

 mediately rise. The taai'anTd; a kind of small fish which I was unable to 

 identify, and which periodically visits the Sk-qo'mic River in large 

 numbers, are said to be descended from a pair of twins (see the story 

 of the origin of the tsai'annk below, under ' Folk-lore '). 



When a woman desired to give birth to a son she would place during 

 her pregnancy a bow and arrows under lier bed. If a daughter were 

 desired a needle and some of the utensils used in weaving would take the 

 place of the bow and arrows. Another custom to ensure the same end was 

 for the woman to chew, in the early days of her pregnancy, the leaves of 

 certain kinds of willow and other shrubs. These leaves were distinguished 

 as ' male ' and ' female ' leaves. 



Customs 2)ractised to 2'>revent Pregnancy. 



When a woman desired to bear no more children she adopted one or 

 more of the following practices. She would get out of bed immediately 

 after giving birth to her child and stand for some time up to her arm- 

 pits in the icy cold water of the inlet, or river, or sound, according to her 

 locality ; or she would bury the after-birth on the beach at ebb-tide just 



' If the husband built the fire a very cold period would follovv'. 

 1900. I I 



