THE WESTERN DENES. 165 



Various other observances — whose name is legion and frequently 

 of a puerile nature — were formerly in vogue among the Dene hunters, 

 but as they are of iro jjarticular interest to the sociologist, I will re- 

 frain from enumerating them. 



XIX. 



Such as I have described them were, even as recently as twenty 

 years ago, the Chilh^otins, Carriers, Sekanais and Nah'anes. Such, to 

 a great extent have remained the two last named tribes. As yet, the 

 only representatives of our race among them have been, with few ex- 

 ceptions, the missionai'ies, gold miners and the Hudson's Bay Com- 

 pany's officers and employees. Among the exceptions are two villages 

 of the Southern Carriers which happen to be in the vicinity of small 

 Avhite settlements. Be it said to the shame of modern civilization, 

 this proximity bus proved in every way detrimental to the aborigines' 

 moral and material -welfare. Intoxicating liquors unscrupulously 

 proffered them have demoralized the unfortunate natives, while im- 

 moral relations between their women and the whites have engendered 

 maladies previousl}^ unknown and which have deprived the former of 

 that fecundity which was formerly their pride. However, let us not 

 exaggerate ; even in this respect they have stood their ground much 

 better than many Indian tribes which I could mention. 



In places where the white race is practically identified with the 

 Hudson's Bay Company's people, the Denes have fairly progressed. 

 With the exception of the Sekanais, they now dwell in comfortable 

 log houses, built after the style of the country, have neat enough 

 stables for their horses and cattle and they cultivate what will grow 

 in small clearings near their villages, without abandoning their former 

 and more lucrative pursuits, — hunting and fishing. The Hudson's 

 Bay Company, which in most places has retained the virtual mono- 

 poly of the fur trade among them, ti-eats them paternally, helps them 

 liberally in cases of distress and scrupulously avoids the sale of hurt 

 ful stimulants to them. 



Although the Denes, and especially the Carriers, literally crave for 

 knowledge, yet, owing to the paucity of missionaries among them, 

 religious instruction is about all that can be given them so far. In 

 these latter yeai-s however, an effort has been made by the writer of 



