18 PROCEEDINGS OF THK CANADIAN INSTITUTK. 



valuable collection of articles in use among the Indians by which 

 the paper was illusti'ated was presented to the museum of the 

 Institute. 



Mr. Arthur Harvey had lived among the Indians many 



years, and had found them honest, truthful people. Many of 

 his happiest hours had been spent with them. A great differ- 

 ence existed between the Whites and Indians now, but if we 

 went back to Homeric times we should find customs similar 

 to those of the Indians of the present day. W^e would hnd 

 the same intense religious feelings. Among the Indians we 

 have the neolithic people. It seemed to be a necessity that 

 the old civilization must pass away before the new. Now the 

 Indians have become degraded, but they have become de- 

 graded by contact with the whites. We have only the 

 residuum. All the best men have gone, and we have been 

 the means of destroying them. He had listened to Mr. 

 McLean with the deepest interest. He was glad to see that 

 he had risen above all minor prejudices and recognized the 

 common brotherhood of man. 



Mr. Boyle enquired whether Mr. McLean had been keeping 

 records of the myths found among these people, the relics of 

 which exist in great number. 



Mr. McLean had jotted them all down as he went through 

 the camps. 



Mr. Boyle was glad to learn that Mr. McLean had dis- 

 tinguished between myths that were pure, and those that had 

 been impregnated with European ideas. 



In answer to a question from Mr. Browning in regard to 

 the mode of tracing relationships, Mr. McLean said there 

 was a considerable mixture of customs in these matters. In 

 the election of a chief no attention was paid to it. 



