832 REPORT — 1889. 



of his daughters, who then receives a name belonging to his crest. On 

 this occasion a great festival is given. A man cannot adopt more than 

 one child at a time. 



The council is composed of middle-class men. Nobody who has not 

 taken a name, or who is not a member of a secret society, is allowed to 

 take part in it. The mother's brother represents his nephews. A woman 

 is only admitted if she is the head of a family. 



The council decides all important questions concerniag the tribe, and 

 is the court which judges criminals. Those who are found guilty of sor- 

 cery are tied up and placed at the edge of low water, and are left there 

 to be drowned. According to legends, such people were frequently left 

 alone in the winter village to starve to death. If a man does not observe 

 the prescribed rules during dances he is tied and brought before the 

 council. If nobody speaks in his favour he is killed, else he is punished 

 by being made a slave, or by heavy payments. All crimes can be atoned 

 for by sufficient payments. If such are not made it is the duty of the 

 nearest relatives to take revenge. 



The coast tribes have always been great traders, and they had a cer- 

 tain currency. Dentalia, skins, and slaves were standards of value. For 

 less valuable property marmot-skins sewed together served as currency. 

 The Tsimshian used to exchange olachen oil and carvings of mountain- 

 goat horn for canoes. The Chitlk'at sold their beautiful blankets ; the 

 Heiltsuk-, canoes ; while the southern tribes furnished principally slaves. 



The latter were in every respect the property of their masters, who 

 were allowed to kill them, to sell them, or to give them their liberty. 

 Children of slaves were also slaves. 



Strangers are always received kindly and with much ceremony. 

 Among the tribes who still adhere to their old customs they are offered 

 the host's daughter while they remain. 



So far as I am aware, the institutions of the Haida, Tlingit, and Heilt- 

 suk" are much the same as those described here. I did not learn any 

 details, as I did not visit these tribes in their homes. 



The following observations hold good for the Kwakiutl and Coast 

 Salish, as well as for the northern group of tribes. Polygamy is not 

 of rare occurrence, although generally each man has only one wife. The 

 first wife is of higher rank than those married at a later date. Women 

 must not take part in the councils and feasts, except when they are heads 

 of families (or, among the Kwakiutl, chief's daughters) ; but the husband 

 takes home from the feast a dish of all the various kinds of food that 

 were served. The dish must be returned the same night. 



The principal work of the women is gathering berries and clams, 

 drying fish, and preparing the meals. They weave mats, blankets, and 

 hats. The men, on the other hand, hunt and fish, they fetch fuel — if 

 large logs are wanted — and build houses and canoes. They also make the 

 carvings and paintings. 



The property of the whole gens is vested in the chief, who considers 

 the salmon rivers, berry patches, and coast strips, in which the gens has 

 the sole right, as his property. Houses belong to the man who erected 

 the framework. They are always inhabited by members of one gens. 

 Canoes, fishing-gear, &c. are personal property. Women own boxes, 

 dishes, and other household goods. 



The Kwakiutl. — As among these tribes paternal institutions take the 

 place of maternal institutions, many laws are found that are not known 



