THE INDIANH OF THE NORTHWEST COAST. 253 



The practice of killing' slaves in ceremonies and for reparation in 

 quarrels was quite common among the northern tribes, and numerous 

 instances might be cited. At Howkan, in one of the Indian houses, may 

 be seen a couple of large wooden images each representing a wolf, with 

 human face and real human hair on the head. This was to remind 

 slaves that, if they escaped from their owners, they would become 

 transformed into creatures like those depicted, half man, half wolf. 



Poole (1863) says that the Haida, Chief Klue, informed him "that 

 some years previously his brother-in-law, in those days the greatest 

 chief on the coast, had been entrapped by the Fort Kupert Indians on 

 his way home from Victoria and scalped and killed, with all his males, 

 his females being divided as slaves among the victors."* This example 

 is cited to show that it was very questionable if the northern Indians 

 made very good slaves, being so warlike, and preferring, as they claim, 

 death to slavery. On the other hand, the southern tribes were more 

 docile, the Flatheads forming the principal part of the slave popula- 

 tion of the northern Indians. In case of the liberation of a slave, he 

 was adopted as a freeman into the clan to which his mother belonged 

 either by birth or as a slave. 



Civil Government. — There are no stated periods for councils or delib- 

 erative gatherings. A household consultation or a meeting of the gens 

 or of the chiefs takes place under the spur of necessity. Women have 

 usually as much to say as the men on other than ceremonial occasions, 

 and their advice is frequently followed, particularly in affairs of trade. 

 In matters affecting one or more gentes or the village, representatives 

 of the various households or gentes meet more formally. They squat 

 around or sit cross-legged, delivering formal speeches in turn, which 

 are heard with rapt attention and approved of by grunts, murmurs, 

 and uplifting of hands. In cases such as witchcraft or offenses of 

 medicine men, sentence to death or to fine is adjudged by the leading 

 men of the village after trial. Under most circumstances, however, 

 the law of blood revenge, an " eye for an eye, " leaves little need for 

 other than family councils, as they are purely totemic offenses, and are 

 arranged by the injured gens. 



INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION. 



Division of Labor. — As between the sexes, the women attend mostly 

 to the common household duties, but the men have a fair share of the 

 outside work about the house and camp. A chief is usually more or 

 less waited on by his dependents. When slavery was in vogue, this class 

 performed all the menial drudgery. The liberated slaves still occupy 

 a somewhat dependent position. The men are the warriors and hunt- 

 ers, though an old woman of rank usually steers the war canoe. In 

 ordinary transit the women assist the men in paddling, and the owner 



'Poole, Qupeu Oh a j'Totte Islands, ]>. ySf). 



