644 REPORT— 1890. 
tions: They must build a sweat-house on a creek, sweat there all night, 
and bathe regularly in the creek, after which they must rub their bodies 
with spruce branches, the branches must be used only once, and are 
stuck into the ground all around the hut. The mourner uses a cup and 
cooking vessels by himself, and must not touch head nor body. No 
hunter must come near him, as his presence is unlucky. They must 
avoid letting their shadows fall upon a person, as the latter would fall 
sick at once. They use thorn bushes for pillow and bed, in order to keep 
away the ghost of the deceased. Thorn bushes are also laid all around 
their beds. A widower must not go hunting, as the grizzly bear would 
get his scent and attack him at once, 
Various BELIEFS. 
Twins.—When twins are born, the mother must build a hut on the 
slope of the mountains, on the bank of a creek, and live there with her 
children until they begin to walk. They may be visited by their family, 
or any other who wishes to see them, but they must not go into the 
willage, else her other children would die. Twins are called skumku'mq- 
sisilf, 1.e., young grizzly bears. It is believed that throughout their lives 
they are endowed with supernatural powers. They can make good and 
bad weather. In order to produce rain they take a small basket filled 
with water, which they spill into the air. For making clear weather 
they use a small stick, to the end of which a string is tied. A small flat 
piece of wood is attached to the end of the string, and this implement is 
shaken. Storm is produced by strewing down on the ends of spruce 
branches. While they are children their mother can see by their plays 
whether her husband, when he is out hunting, is successful or not. When 
the twins play about and feign to bite each other he will be successful ; 
if they keep quiet he will return home empty-handed. If one of a 
couple of twins should die the other must clean himself in the sweat-house 
‘in order to remove the blood of the deceased out of his body.’ 
A decoction made of certain herbs, when used as hair-oil or mixed 
with the saliva of a person, acts as a love-charm. 
To break eggs of the ptarmigan produces rain. 
If one has a feeling as though someone was standing behind one’s 
back, or if a sudden chill goes down one’s back, it is a sign that someone 
will die. If one’s leg twitches, someone is coming. When the ears ring, 
someone speaks ill of one. The owl cries muktsd'k: (he is dead), 
and calls the name of the person who will die. 
One cannot make fire with the fire-drill after having eaten in the 
morning. 
Hair that has been cut off must be buried or thrown into the river. 
Beaver-bones (not those of the salmon, as is the custom on the coast) 
must be thrown into the river, else the beavers would not go into the 
traps any more. The same would happen if a dog should eat beaver-meat, 
or gnaw a beayer-bone. 
When making bullets they mix wood that has been struck by lightning 
with the lead. They believe that the bullets thus become more deadly, 
as they will burn the deer’s flesh. 
They believe that the beaver, when constructing its dam, kills one of 
its young and buries it under the dam, that it may become firmer and 
not give way to flcods. if 
