THE WESTERN BEXES. Ill 



On the other hand, Dr. Dalhs classification is incomplete, since it 

 •omits the Tsekenne, a tribe whose habitat is on both sides of the 

 Rocky Mountains, whilst, of eight clearly distinct eastern tribes, he 

 notes only two and that under aboriginal names, the genuineness of 

 which is to me of more than doubtful character. 



Some ethnographers, for reasons known to themselves, regard the 

 lysimpsians, who lately migrated from this (Xorth Pacific) coast to 

 an Alaskan Island, as an offshoot of the Dene or Athabaskan stock. 

 But even a slight knowledge of their language and physical charac- 

 teristics ouuht to convince any one of the fact that they are altogether 

 heterogeneous thereto. 



This being admitted, it remains with me to state which tribes are 

 to the subject of this paper, and conformably with the Canadian In- 

 stitute's Sociological Circular to give some account of their social con- 

 dition, customs, cei-emonies. etc. The subject is rather comprehen- 

 sive, and even without attempting to ti-eat it exhaustively I fear I 

 will have to give its exposition perhaps unexpected extension. 



I. 



Let me. however, premise that I shall content myself with speaking 

 of the "Western Denes, excluding from my subject those tribes which 

 have their fishing grounds on the north coast of British Columbia and 

 which form by themselves a group apart. Our D^n^s belong to a race 

 of aborigines occupying a vast territory. Without mentioning the 

 Xavajoes who, advanced sentinels of a delayed army, wait in Xew 

 Mexico for their kiusmen of the north to rejoin them under more 

 favored climes, one can hardly travel from Fort Macjjherson within 

 the Arctic Cii'cle to the plains of the South Saskatchewan wichout 

 meeting with representatives of that g-reat family. On our (west) 

 side of the Rockies they are divided into four tribes speaking as many 

 dialects. They are : 



1st. The C'hilh;!(Otins^ actually about -460 in number, occupying the 

 valley of the river called after them, and the bunch-grass covered 

 plateaus that .skirt it on either side between 51^ 10' and 52° 40' north 

 latitude, and from the westei-n banks of the Fraser to the Coast 

 Range of mountains. 

 !•' Inhabitants of Yountf Man's River." 



