TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION n. 815 



sculptured groups, which appear to give a complete representation of the story of 

 the Flood, and the district being so near Mount Ararat, it is less surprising that it 

 should be so, as Armenia abounds with the tradition. 



5. Account of the Similkameen Indians of British Columhia. 

 By Mrs. S. S. Allison. 



The tribe at present inhabiting the upper valley of the Similkameen are imme- 

 diately descended from a small band of the warlike Chilcotins, who established 

 themselves in the upper valley of the river about a hundred and fifty years ago, 

 and intermarried with the Spokans. They have much deteriorated, both physically 

 and mentally, within the last twenty years, and are rapidly becoming extinct. 

 The average stature of the men is about five feet six inches ; their frames are 

 lithe and muscular, and their movements quick and graceful. Their complexion 

 is very light, and they have small hands and feet. The colour of their hair varies 

 from jet-black to red-brown, and in some cases it is almost curly. They are born 

 horsemen and capital shots. The sharp horns of the mountain goat were formerly 

 fixed on shafts of hard wood and used as spears both in hunting and warfare ;. 

 stone knives and hatchets were also used. 



The summer dwellings of the Similkameen Indians were made of mats of 

 cedar bark, manufactured by the Hope Indians, which were thrown over a circular 

 frame of poles. The winter houses were simply pits dug in the ground and 

 roofed with poles and earth. All sickness was supposed to be the work of an evil 

 spirit, who fastened on a victim and hung on, drawing away his life, until charmed 

 away by the doctor, who worked himself into a state of frenzy, singing and danc- 

 ing while he was trying to lure the evil spirit from his patient. Many of the 

 medicine-men exercise strong mesmeric power over their patients, and they use 

 several herbs as medicines ; their panacea for all ills, however, is the vapour- 

 bath. 



When an Indian died he was laid out in state on a couch of skins ; everything 

 put on the body was new ; his bow and arrows were laid at his side, along with 

 his knife. His friends then assembled round him to feast, and when the feast was 

 over his friends advanced, and taking his hand bade him farewell. Immediately 

 after a funeral takes place the encampment is moved, lest the spirit of the deceased 

 should revisit it. 



A widow or widower is forbidden to eat meat and certain vegetables for a 

 month, and must wear quantities of spruce bush inside their shirts, next their 

 skin. 



Cannibalism was never known among the Similkameens. 



In the mountain is a certain stone which is much venerated by the Indians, and 

 it is said that striking it will produce rain. 



Polygamy was allowed, and if the husband and wife tired of each other, the 

 price of the woman, or its equivalent, was returned by her father or guardian, and 

 the parties were then free to contract another matrimonial alliance ; but adultery, 

 though it was generally compromised, was sometimes punished by cutting off the 

 woman's nose or slitting her ears. 



Occasionally sick persons were buried before they were quite dead, and a good 

 deal of infanticide was practised. 



The author has not found these Indians to be thieves, and gives them a general 

 good character in other respects. 



6. Nicohar Pottery. By B. H. Man. 



In a brief but fairly exhaustive pa])er on the pottery made and used by the 

 Nicobar Islanders, Mr. Man stated that the little island of Chowra has held for 

 generations a monopoly of the manufacture, and the entire work of preparing the 

 clay, as well as moulding and firing the finished utensil, devolves on the females of 

 the community. 



