OP BRITISH AND RUSSIAN AMERICA- 307 



the woods and streams, haunt desert and lonely localities, and moan among the 

 caches of the dead. To propitiate these spirits, offerings are made of some 

 trifling and invariably very worthless article. This is hung upon a bush or 

 tree, and among the tributes of this kind, which I have seen, may be mentioned 

 strips of cotton, worn-out shoes, tattered robes, pieces of leather, and old belts, 

 whose perfectly worthless character showed plainly that though these Indians 

 have a sneaking, superstitious fear, it is not sufficiently strong to overcome the 

 avarice that forms so predominant a trait in their character. 



An inferior species of " totemism" obtains among them. Each hunter selects, 

 as a species of f imiliar spirit, some animal, and invariably a carnivorous one. 

 According to their custom, the man can then neither eat nor skin, and if avoid- 

 able, not even kill the object of his choice. The taking of the " totem" is nor, 

 so far as I am aware, the occasion of any religious ceremony, as is the case 

 among some of the plain tribes. Pictures of various animals used in the olden 

 day to be distributed among the natives by the ti-aders, each individual receiv- 

 ing that of his totem. When a hunter had been unsuccessful he pulled this 

 picture out of his medicine bag, laid it before him, and taking some lobacco 

 from the same receptacle, paid adoration to the spirit by smoking and making it 

 a speech. After this proceeding he returned with renewed ardor to the chase, 

 and generally with success. 



Fatalism appears to be deeply seated in their minds. They usually accept 

 such luck as is sent them, if not without murmuring, at least apathetically, and 

 make but few struggles to combat adverse circumstances. 



There does not appear to be any regular order of priesthood. Any one who 

 feels inclined to do so turns medicine man, but some are much more highly es- 

 teemed than others, as possessing greater skill in conjuring away sickness and 

 foretelling future events. The articles by which they affect to perform many 

 remarkable and mysterious operations are very commonplace and trifling ; a 

 flint, a piece of mica, a colored stone, or a bullet, being all equally efficacious 

 mediums, through which to hold communication with their tutelary spirits. I 

 have on several occasions, for amusement, tested the soothsaying powers of some 

 of the most celebrated wizards, by requesting information as to the futuie arrival 

 of boats or letters, and I can confidently state that if they guess correctly once 

 in twenty times, it is as much as their supernatural powers are capable of effect- 

 ing. As jugglers they hold a very inferior status, and do not approach, even 

 in a remote degree, the really remarkable skill that many of the Algonquin tribes 

 possess in this way. An idea of the powers of conjurors to kill Indians at a dis- 

 tance, simply by the force of their spells, was formerly common to all the race, 

 and still exists with unabated strength among the Kutchin tribes of the Youcon 

 river, who put great faith yet in their medicine men, and pay them liberally for 

 their services in seasons of danger or sickness. Additional facts regarding these 

 " doctors" will be noted hereafter, when I proceed to explain the medical theories 

 and practice of the nation. 



MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL CHARACTERISTICS. 



Few of the moral faculties are possessed in any remarkable degree by the east- 

 ern Tinneh. They are tolerably honest, not bloodthirsty nor cruel ; but this is, 

 I suppose, the extent, as they are confirmed liars, far from being chaste, and have 

 but very indistinct perceptions of doing to others as they would be done by. 

 Some tribes are more noted for honesty than others ; the Beavers and Chepe- 

 wyans being at the top of the scale, the Slaves in the middle, and the Hares, 

 Dogribs, and Yellow Knives at the bottom. The two first-named branches will 

 compete in this respect with any European nation. No people in the world are 

 more tenacious of what they possess themselves, or more willing to restore the 

 property of others. On giving up what they may find to the owner, a de^aand 

 for payment will sometimes be made. If the request be granted, well and good. 



