482 REPORT— 1900. 



the line of land and water. Another practice was to han^j the after- 

 birth on the branch of a tree and keep it there for a twelvemonth. Still 

 another was to turn round three times and kick the after-birth before it 

 was disposed of. Usually the mode of disposing of the after-birth was 

 by burying it secretly in the ground. Among tlie Sk'qo'mic it was never 

 burned, as among some tribes. lo was believed that the mother would 

 ' swell up ' and die if the after-birth were burned. It is said that a 

 woman once destroyed the after-birth in this manner with this melan- 

 choly result ; hence its disposal in this way was ever afterwards most 

 carefully avoided. 



Marriage Customs. 



Formei'ly, when a young man took a fancy to a girl and desired to 

 make her his Avife, the custom was for him to go to the house of the girl's 

 parents and squat down with his blanket wrapped about him just inside 

 the door. Here he was supposed to remain for four days and nights 

 without eating or drinking. During this period no one of the girl's 

 family takes the slightest notice of him. The only difference his presence 

 makes in the house is to cause the parents to keep a bright fire burning 

 all night. This is done that they may readily perceive that he takes no 

 advantage of his proximity to the girl to make love to her or otherwise 

 molest her during the night. On the fourth day, if the suitor is accept- 

 able to the pai'ents, the mother of the girl asks some neighbour to 

 acquaint the youth that they are willing to accept him as their son-in- 

 law, and give him the girl. To himself they still say nothing, nor in any 

 way take the slightest notice of him ; and as no communication of any 

 kind can take place between the girl's people and the young man at this 

 stage of the proceedings, this neighbour now cooks a meal for the fasting 

 lover and informs him at the same time that his suit is acceptable to the 

 family, and that the girl will be given to him in the usual way. 



After the young man's acceptance by the girl's parents in the manner 

 described the youth would then return home, and in a few days come 

 back for his bride, accompanied by all his friends and relatives. If 

 he were just an ordinary young man of the tribe, of no particular 

 standing, he would bring with him one canoe-load of blankets ; but if he 

 were a person of rank, such as a chief's son, he would bring two canoe- 

 loads of blankets with him. These he would distribute to the bride's 

 relatives. He and his friends are now entertained for the rest of the day 

 by his pi'ospective father m-law, and acconimodation is afforded them for 

 the night, the inmates of the house sleeping on one side of the building 

 and the visitors on the other. On the following morning, after a good 

 meal has been indulged in, all go down to the beach to where the bride- 

 groom's canoe is moored, the parents of the bride taking with them a 

 number of blankets, which they put in the canoe. If the bride is a person 

 of rank the whole course from the house to the beacli is covered with a 

 line of blankets for her to walk upon, and two old women, as maids-of- 

 honour, lead her down to the canoe. The bride is dressed for the occasion 

 in all the bravery of bright-coloured blankets and what other ornaments 

 she may possess. Over her head, completely enveloping her, a blanket 

 is thrown as a kind of bridal veil. Behind her come the female slaves of 

 her father's household, carrying all her personal belongings, such as mats, 

 baskets, blankets, wooden platters, spoons, (fee. The bridesmaids now 

 place the bride in the bow of the canoe, after which etiquette demands 



