170 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



their arts to the splendid forests of pine and cedar which cover their 

 lands. The Bellachoola or Bilkhula belong- to the great Salishan stock. 

 Their home is in the vicinity of Bentinck Arm. The cradle of this peo- 

 ple is probably a fair sample of that used by the stocks north and south 

 of the Bilkhulas (Fig. 6). It is a trough shaped frame of cedar wood 

 made in two pieces, as follows : The bottom and head-board are in one 

 piece about one-half or three-quarters inch thick. The two sides and 

 foot are also in one piece. The angles and the bends near the child's 

 knees are effected by scarfing the wood almost through on the inside 

 and boiling and bending it into shape. In this art these Indians are 

 very expert, making great numbers of boxes for food and clothing, with 



Fig. 6. 

 Bella-Coola trough-cradle. 



(Cat No. 20556, U. S. N. 31. Bella Bella, B. C. Collected by 

 James G. Swan. ) 



Dugout Cradle, with Head-flattening.] 

 apparatus. 



(Cat. No. 2574 B, U. S. N. M. Chinuk Indians. 

 George Catlin. ) 



Collected by 



joints invisible on the outside. The joints of this cradle are united by 

 means of small withes of willow. The characteristic marks are a flat 

 bottom 5 head-board, like a little grave-stone, painted in red and black 

 with conventional symbol of a totem. Two streaks of red paint skirt 

 the upper margin of the sides. The change in the angle of convergence 

 of the sides near the child is effected by scarfing and bending. The 

 bed consists of a mass of finely shredded cedar bark. This is overlaid 

 with some kind of sheet of cloth or fur, and the lashing passes through 



