318 NOTES ON THE TINNEH OR CHEPEWYAN INDIANS 



whole fortune — to liis countrymen, half of what each receives to be returned 

 either in beads or furs after a year, to enable the person who makes the festival 

 to begin the world afresh atler "he has completed his term of mourning. In the 

 mean time he makes every exertion to collect a quantity of good meat. Invita- 

 tions are sent to all the neighboring tribes ; a level piece of ground is fenced 

 round, and the beads are strung and neatly hung up on painted cross poles 

 within the enclosure. During this time, also, he composes the songs to be used 

 on the occasion, in which all the good qualities of the deceased are enumerated, 

 his abilities as a hunter are extolled, and any good or praiseworthy act he may 

 have committed during life is held up as an example for the imitation of 

 others. When the guests have assembled, early on the following morning, 

 every one cleans and paints himself; fires are lighted within the enclosure ; 

 several are set to cook, others to cut up tobacco, while the rest are dancing to 

 the songs of the host and his wives, who, all the time, beats cadence on a piece of 

 ■ painted wood he holds in his hand. After they have had their repast and smoked 

 their pipes the singing and dancing recommence, in which they all join. They then 

 throw a bladder of grease among the crowd. The first who seizes hold of it runs 

 away as fast as he can, pursued by all the rest. When he finds himself hard pushed 

 he endeavors to secure at least a piece for himself, but this is not easy to do, as 

 the grease is mixed up with sinew, which makes it very difficult to break, so he 

 must either endeavor to outrun his pursuers or be content to part with it to the 

 hungry multitude behind. By this time he is getting exhausted, and he tries 

 to double on the others ; but, among such a number, it is hardly possible to 

 escape, and he will either stop or throw the grease on one side, when there is. a 

 general scrambling for it, accompanied by screams and a noise that is deafening. 

 After going on in this way for a time they will quietly eat the grease, and then 

 return to the enclosure, when a moose skin will probably be thrown among them 

 The smartest will seize and run away with it in order to secure it for himself, 

 doing as was done with the grease ; but this time every one that can catch hold 

 of the skin, while one seizes a knife and cuts away between the hands, until 

 each finds himself possessed only of what he was aLle to grasp. This goes on 

 for several days, accompanied by wrestling, pushing on a strong pole, fifty or 

 sixty against an equal number, racing, &c. After this the beads are distributed 

 as before stated, the fence is pulled down, harangues are delivered, strong pro- 

 fessions of eternal faith and good will are made, when each party takes its de- 

 parture for its own land, and the term of mourning is at an end. 



Their knowledge of a Supreme Being, if they have any at all, is very limited. 

 They know nothing of the soul. They say man has reason, acquired from 

 education, imitation, or experience, which increases witli age ; for instance, they 

 say a child has no education, no experience — that is, no reason ; or if he has, it is 

 so weak or imperfect that he will crawl straight into the fire without the slightest 

 fear of the c^onsequences. If he had a soul, which is part of the Great Spirit 

 himself, he would be as wise when born as at any time of his life ; more so, in 

 fact, for he is purer, having just come from his Maker. Neither would he require 

 education or experience to guide him through life. They believe in a future state 

 of rewards and punishments — that is, they believe they will be successful or 

 unfortunate in the world to come according as they have acted well or ill in this ; 

 that those who have been poor and miserable in this world, if they have com- 

 mitted no heinous crimes, will be happy in the next; also, that the relative states 

 of a wicked and prosperous man, and that of a poor, despised, ill-treated though 

 innocent person, may be reversed hereafter ; that the two will change places, as 

 it were. 



They have an imaginary person, a good angel, common to all, who is supposed 

 to guard them from evil and supply their wants. This good angel is supplicated 

 when they start on a hunting expedition, and is supposed to have the power of 

 changing his shape and appearance. The story goes that an old woman found 



