THE CHIPEWYANS 149 



sense) Red Fox and Weasel are Nak-ee-they, Noon- 

 dee-a, Tel-ky-lay; and the comparatively scarce Musk- 

 ox and little Weasel, At-huh-le-jrr-ray and Tel-ky- 

 lay-azzy. All of which is clear and logical, for the 

 name originally is a description, but the softer parts and 

 sharp angles arc worn down by the attrition of use — 



A. Typical tocpoc of Plains Indians. B. Chipewyan tccpcc with smoke 

 Baps of a separate piece. C. Modern Chipewyan teepee with tent 

 addition 



the more use they have for a word the shorter it is 

 bound to get. In this connection it is significant that 

 "to-day" is To-ho-chin-nay, and "to-morrow" Kom- 

 pay. 



The Chipewyan teepee is very distinctive; fifty years 

 ago all were of caribou leather, now most are of cotton; 

 not for lack of caribou, but because the cotton does 

 not need continual watching to save it from the dogs. 

 Of the fifty teepees at Fort Chipewyan, one or two 

 only were of caribou but many had caribou-skin tops, 

 as these are less likely to burn than those of cotton. 



The way they manage the smoke is very clever; in- 

 stead of the two fixed flaps, as among the Plains River 

 Indians, these have a separate hood which is easily 

 set on any side (see Til). Chief Squirrel lives in a 

 lodge that is an admirable combination of the white 



