116 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



laced witli quantities of Dentaliuni or Hyaqua shells. Sometimes 

 these ceremonial wigs were ornamented witli stout bristles taken from 

 the sea lion's whiskers, trimmed so as to look like horns worn on the- 

 forehead. 



As for their wearing apparel, without being strictly uniform, it 

 may be said that in no case was it of a very complicated pattern. 

 Be.sides the ' pagne " or breech cloth which was .seldom removed, 

 they wore a .sort of tunic or loose ve.stment of beaver, lynx or 

 marmot skin, with the fur next to the body. The outside was 

 painted in variegated designs in vermilion and adorned with 

 numerous fringes to conceal the seams and bands of dentaiium or 

 dyed porcupine quills. A pair of leggings reaching to the thigh, 

 together with mocass ns, which, in the case of the ]ioor were of 

 salmon skin, completetl their costume. Unlike their kinsmen of the 

 Great Mackenzie Basin, they had no hood attached to their coat or 

 tunic; but instead, wore a iiead-dress made of a small ground-hog 

 skin and fashioned somewluit like a Scotch bonnet. 



The women's wearing apparel differed only from that ot the men 

 by the length of their tunic, which was ordinarily '^^ovored with a 

 skin cloak or a woven Tabbit skin j'obe falling to their feet. 



Washing may l^e said to be a European custom introduced among 

 them. They clean their hands only, which they wash by tilling their 

 mouths with water and then squirting it over them in intermittent 

 streams'. 



III. 



Considered in their social condition and daily pursuits, a ])ortion 

 of the Western Denes are nomadic and part may be described as 

 semi-sedentary. To tlie fii-st class belong the Sekanais and Eastern, 

 Nah'an^s, the Chilh;^otins, Carriers and Western Nah'antis fornung 

 the second. Thus, whil.st their mode of living prevents the Sekanuis 

 from dwelling in houses and congregating together in villages, our 

 Carriers pass the winter in lodges accommodating several families, and 



• This reminds the comparative Sociologist of a similar custom prevailing amonif the 

 Tartars or Moguls of the Middle Apes. William of Kuhruck, (St. Louis' envoy to the great 

 Khan, I'i.'iS) says that "They never wash their clothes. Cleanliness is in no more favor with 

 " the men than with their ladies, and their mode of washing their faces and hands is by fiiling 

 " their mouths with water and squirting it over them."— /^I'/rt'j'o/t den Voyayes en Tnrturie,. 

 Benjcrdii. 



