4 Geo. 5 Provincial Museum Report. G 23 



ANTHROPOLOGY. 



Report of C. F. Newcombe, M.D., for 1913. 



138 Dallas Road, 



Victoria, B.C., Dec. 31st, 1913. 

 F. Kermode, Esq., 



Director, Provincial Museum, Victoria, B.C. 



Sir. — I have the honour to report that during the current year I have collected material 

 and data for the anthropological section from the following Indian villages, and from a few 

 private collections. 



In the beginning of February I went over to Vancouver to look at a collection of Upper 

 Skeena curios, which I purchased, finding that the specimens would fill up one or two blanks 

 from that locality. On my return to Victoria I acquired another small collection of Nass 

 River material. 



In the latter part of February I went to the following Lower Fraser villages : Upper 

 and Lower Sardis, Chilliwack, Chehalis, and Tale. Old material is very scarce in this locality. 

 I purchased two blankets (which were left to be decorated), a long river-canoe, and a number 

 of small articles and foods, and gave orders for models where necessary. 



The firsr week in March was spent in Vancouver and vicinity, getting in touch with the 

 owners of some very interesting specimens. I succeeded in purchasing a collection containing 

 sixtv-five specimens from the Yale District, and also a dozen of the rare Chilcotin baskets. 



On March 18th I left for the Kwakiutl and Bella Coola Districts. On leaving the boat 

 at Alert Rav, I found the Indians in the middle of a large potlatch and far too occupied to 

 attend to me, so I went on to Hardy Bay and across to Quatsino. Here, among other things, I 

 purchased a fine inside pole, negotiations for which were opened last year. 



From Quatsino I went back to Hardy Bay aud took a steamer to Bella Coola. Here 

 were secured a set of nets, traps, boxes, strainers, etc., used in the oolachan industry, also a 

 number of masks and ceremonial objects. Then I took a short trip to Talio, South Bentinck 

 Arm. where two totem-poles and two grave-figures were purchased. 



On the return trip from Bella Coola the steamer caUed in at Kimsquit, where I was lucky 

 in getting a small shovel-nose canoe used in river navigation. 



I left the steamer at Alert Bay, but, finding it impossible to do anything for a week, paid 

 a hurried visit to Victoria, arriving back in Alert Bay on April 16th, where I chartered a 

 )lene-boat to run up Knight's Inlet. At Tsawadi, the village at the head of the inlet, I 

 found the three poles with the carved beam, which you had reported to me, too far gone to 

 purchase, but managed to secure one carving, as well as to open negotiations for others, 

 which were photographed. We called at Tlaoitsis on the way back, where a few masks and 

 ceremonial objects were purchased. 



On my return to Alert Bay, I managed to uncover one or two specimens of particular 

 interest, the chief of which being the board sail which you now have. This is the first of its 

 kind secured by any museum to nry knowledge. 



On May 1st I joined the sloop "Nymphe," Captain Spring, which arrived from Victoria 

 two days previously ; the object being to gather information and inspect the haunts of sea- 

 lions, as well as to continue my collecting for the Museum. 



On the way north we called at Fort Rupert, iSTahwitte (where we purchased an inside 

 totem-pole), Xamu, Bella Bella, China Hat, and the Tsimshian villages, Kitkatla, Metlakatla, 

 and Fort Simpson. Specimens were secured at many of these places. 



I spent the latter part of May on the aSTass River, visiting Lakalzap, Gitex, Angidah, 

 Guineha, Avansh, Kitladamix, and Kincolith, and, although many purchases were made, the 

 Indians would not part with any of their larger carvings except at exorbitant prices. We 

 secured photographs of nearly every totem-pole and many smaller objects. 



On June 1st we crossed over to the Queen Charlotte Islands, making our first call at 

 Ma^set, where a large majority of the Indians were away. On cruising around the north and 

 west coasts of Graham Island we called in at the deserted villages, Ian, Kung, Yats, Kiusta, 

 and Chaatl, securing specimens at one or two places and photographing the totem-poles at all 

 the villages. 



