THE WESTERN DENES. 155 



two small sticks or bones differently carved keeps jerking his arms 

 and body to the tune of a particular song, so that he may give as 

 little indication as possible to the rival players as to which hand con- 

 tains the winning stick. A tambourine or some appropriate substitute, 

 such as a tin-pan, is continually beaten as an accompaniment to the 



This is not the case with alte which is played (or rather was played, 

 for it has fallen into desuetude) silently by only two partners with a 

 multitude of small sticks and which is too complicated to be described 

 here. A few other games were also played formerly, but not so 

 commonly as those just referred to, so that I deem it unnecessary to 

 do more than simply mention the fact. 



The chants accompanying these games and dances were, musically 

 speaking, of the poorest desci'iption, — aboriginal music being of a very 

 primitive character. They are generally composed either of a single 

 musical phrase repeated ad injinitum or of a few musical phrases with- 

 out co-relation or cohesion undergoing the same sempiternal repetitions. 



These chants may be classified under two heads : those with ancient 

 words and those with modern or no words. The fii\st are those 

 traditional songs which, among the Can-iers, are the exclusive appan- 

 age of the notables and are ti-ansmitted from generation to generation. 

 They claim that the words thereof are remnants of their primitive 

 language. They are at present quite unintelligible. Although each 

 of their component sounds is familiar with the Denes' vocabulary, 

 yet a close comparison with the actual Carrier, Chilh;(otin, Sekanais 

 and three Eastern dialects of which I have complete dictionaries 

 before me, fails to give a clue as to their original meaning. This 

 circumstance is of itself strong evidence in favour of the high anti- 

 quity of the "melodies," as well as of the words : for since they have 

 preserved the latter with such scrupulous care amidst the gradual 

 variations of their language, I do not see why they should not be 

 supposed to have also taken particular pains not to change the former. 

 The two specimens given here will explain themselves better than 

 could an extended description from me. Let me however i'emai"k 

 that aboriginal rhythm is so different from ours that it is impossible 

 to set it to time. 



