ox THE XORTII-AVESTERX TRIBES OF CANADA. 681 



for representations of the whole animal. A dorsal fin worn on the 

 blanket of a dancer, or painted on his face, indicates that the person so 

 decorated personates the killer-whale. A strongly curved beak painted 

 on a gambling- stick symbolises that the stick is meant to represent the 

 thunder-bird. A protruding tongue painted on the chin symbolises the 

 bear. 



The second principle seems to be quite opposed to the first one. When 

 the artist decorates any object with the representation of an animal, he 

 distorts and dissects the animal in such a way as to show the whole body 

 on the decorative field ; but a closer examination of this tendency proves 

 that it originates mainly in the necessity felt l)y the artist of introducing 

 all the symbols, which are distributed over the whole body of the animal, 

 in the decoration. To give a few instances, bracelets are decorated in 

 such a way that the animal is split along its back, and then repi'esented 

 in such a manner as to make it appear as though the arm were pushed 

 through the opening. On tattooings the animals are shown as split 

 through along their backs or along their chests, and then tiattened out, 

 so that a symmetrical design results. Carvings on totem poles must be 

 interpreted in the same way, the animal being rej^resented as bisected 

 along the rear side of the totem pole, and extended so that the two margins 

 of the cut appear on the borders of the carved portion of the pole. The 

 distortion and section of animals is nowhere carried further than in 

 representations on boxes, on slate dishes, and on Chilcat blankets ; but in 

 all these decorations we recognise the endeavour to bring such forms of 

 the animal into view as are essential for an understanding of the design — 

 that is to say, all those parts of the animal are represented which serve as 

 its symbols. 



So far as I am aware, the process of conventionalising has not led to 

 the formation of geometrical designs, which are exceedingly rare on 

 decorated objects from the North Pacific coast. They are found only in 

 certain kinds of basket work and in mattings. 



Finally, it may be well to add a brief explanation of the economic 

 system prevailing among these Indians, wliich was fully set forth in the 

 Fifth Report of the Committee. This system finds its expression in tlie 

 so-called 'potlatch.' The meaning of this custom has been much mis- 

 understood, and the recent enactment of a law making the potlatch a 

 criminal ofi'ence is probably in great measure due to a misconception in 

 regard to its meaning. 



The economic system of the Indians of British Columbia is largely 

 based on credit, just as much as that of civilised communities. In all his 

 undertakings the Indian relies on the helji of his friends. He promises 

 to pay them for this help at a later date. If the help furnished consisted 

 in valuables, which are measured by the Indians by blankets as we 

 measure them by money, he promises to repay the amount so loaned with 

 interest. The Indian has no system of writing, and therefore, in order to 

 give security to the transaction, it is performed publicly. The contracting 

 of debts, on tlie one hand, and the paying of debts, on the other, is the 

 potlatch. This economic system lias developed to such an extent that the 

 capital possessed by all the individuals of the tribe combined exceeds 

 many times the actual amount of cash that exists ; that is to say, the 

 conditions are quite analogous to those prevailing in our community : if 

 we want to call in all our outstanding debts, it is found that there is not 



