Januaet 22, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



151 



as Eastmain, and that they did not come out 

 to any of the posts along that shore. At 

 Nitehequon, a post situated in the Labrador 

 interior, fifty-five days' journey from Rupert's 

 House by canoe, and still in the hunting terri- 

 tory of the Northern Oree, the Naskapi are 

 known to come in winter when driven by 

 starvation. Otherwise they are confined to the 

 interior of Labrador proper, held back on the 

 •east and north by the Esquimau, on the west 

 by the Northern Cree, and on the south by the 

 Montagnais. 



As conditions were not favorable for study 

 of the Naskapi, our attention was turned to 

 the ethnology of the Northern Cree. The 

 Northern, or perhaps more properly the 

 Eastern, Cree range from Nitchequon on the 

 north, south to the height of land around 

 ■James Bay, west to the Albany Eiver and 

 Agomska Island. There are no Cree between 

 this post and York, because the Northern 

 Ojibway have worked northward to the coast 

 and thus have separated the York Cree from 

 •the rest. So far as could be learned from the 

 Hudson's Bay men and Indians, this has 

 taken place within comparatively recent times, 

 and it was also stated that the Western Cree 

 came originally from the vicinity around 

 James Bay, being induced to go westward by 

 the Hudson's Bay Company. Both the York 

 Cree and the Western Cree seem to be con- 

 sidered by the Eastern Cree to be somewhat 

 different from the Eastern Cree, although ad- 

 mittedly the same people. Several dialects of 

 "their language are recognized by the eastern 

 band, but the changes appear to be perfectly 

 regular and phonetic, not affecting the gram- 

 mar in any way. 



The Eastern Cree claim to have always lived 

 in the region that they now inhabit, and 

 recognize several bands or subdivisions, known 

 according to the locality which they inhabit. 

 The Crees know themselves generally as 

 Muskeko-wug, or " Swamp People." The 

 social unit is the patriarchal family and there 

 seems never to have been any clan organiza-. 

 tion among them. Village life is, and appar- 

 ently was, unknown; for economic conditions 

 caused single families to live by themselves, 

 far apart from any others, and rendezvous was 



made every spring at some spot previously de- 

 cided upon for the purpose of reuniting. At 

 this time, the feasts, councils and meager cere- 

 monies of these people were held. Nowadays, 

 the hunters come to the Hudson's Bay posts 

 every spring to trade their furs for supplies 

 for the next year, and this coming together 

 takes the place of the old spring meeting. 

 Chiefs were never elected or chosen, but ac- 

 quired their office through prestige by tacit 

 consent on the death of the former incumbent. 

 As the people rarely came together, excepting 

 at the spring meetings, or in case of war, the 

 chief's influence was small in comparison with 

 that of the shaman. Shamanism, or " con- 

 juring," as it is called in the north, is stiU 

 quite extensively carried on for warlike ex- 

 peditions, hunting, love-making and other 

 purposes. Conjuring houses are still built and 

 used. A shamanistic society, very loose in 

 form, but apparently corresponding to the 

 Midewin of the Ojibway, occurs. There are 

 but two degrees, and admission to these is 

 through dreams. There are no initiatory cere- 

 monies. So far as could be learned, members 

 of this society do not attempt to cure disease. 

 Apparently this is done by herb doctors. 



The material culture of these people is now 

 considerably debased through constant contact 

 with the Hudson's Bay Company. Clothing 

 in the old days was made of caribou skin, 

 tanned without the hair in summer; in winter, 

 of caribou skin with the hair, or of beaver and 

 other furs. Garments were often made of 

 twisted and woven rabbit skins. Coats with 

 sleeves, hoods and mittens were worn by both 

 sexes. The habitations consisted of conical or 

 dome-shaped lodges, covered with painted 

 skins, bark or brush. No mats were used for 

 this or any other purpose, as articles of woven 

 rabbit-skin seem the only fabrics made. Ow- 

 ing to climatic conditions, agriculture was un- 

 known, a few berries furnishing the only vege- 

 table food. Hunting, and, secondarily, fish- 

 ing were the great resources of life. As hunt- 

 ing has not been checked, but rather given an 

 impetus, by the advent of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company, all the ancient superstitions regard- 

 ing animal life may still be found in full 

 force. Most interesting of these are a series 



