126 PRJCEEDINGS OF THE CANADEAN INSTITUTK. 



ing to his adoj)tmg inotlier's cl.ui. In this case liowever, he could 

 claim the right to joint use of the hunting grounds together with the 

 heir who had inherited their real j)ro|)rietoishij». 



Landed projierty is unknown among the Sekanais and PJastern 

 Nah'anes who are governed by father-right. Among them the eldest 

 son, or failing him, a surviving brother succeeds the deceased father 

 of a family as leader of the band while engaged in hunting. On the 

 other hand, although groups of related families ordinarily hunt in the 

 same mountains, streams or lakes as their ancestors, they do not 

 regard them as their exclusive property and will never contest the 

 right of others to hunt or traj) thereon. 



VII. 



As previously stated our Dent^s and, as a rule, all races of Abori- 

 gines T may say, are very fond of their little ones and. as a conse- 

 quence, Infanticide has been exceedingly rare among them. Never- 

 theless, a native custom now hajipijy discontinued, required an 

 exception in cases of twins, one of whom had to be disposed of, as 

 two childi-en at one birth were thought [)ortentous of ill and not 

 much less than a natural monstrosity. 



When the period of confinement arrived, the mother would Ite de- 

 livered of her child without the helj) of a midwife, in any place and 

 under any circumstances — in her lodge or even while travelling, and 

 apparently without any pain. This was the almost invariable exper- 

 ience in former times; but truth obliges me to add that among the- 

 Carriers, the most civilized of the four tribes, women have not gained 

 much by the change in their diet and mode of living, inasmuch as 

 painful accouchements and even death, at childbirth, ai'e becoming 

 unhappily of too frequent occurence; still-born chihlren are also more 

 numerous than formerly. 



Circumcision is unknown among the Western Den^s, and I have 

 never heard of any practice in favour among any tribe which could 

 be construed as a i-emnant thereof. 



Formerly children were named a short time after their birth by 

 their parents or any person who was believed to have received, while 



