124 B GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



not enclosed in any box, but a large red blanket, wrapped round tbe 

 shoulders, covered the entire lower portion of tbe body to the ground. 

 The hair, which was long, was still in place, black and glossy, carefully 

 wound up to form a large knot on the top of the head, through which 

 a couple of carved bone pins or skewers were stuck. A carved stick, 

 like those used in dancing, rested in one corner, and before the knees 

 was a square cedar box, which no doubt contained various other pro- 

 perties. Had I not had with me an Indian of the tribe, I should have 

 been tempted to investigate further. The face was the only part of 

 the body uncovered, and the flesh appeared to have been partly dried 

 on the bones, giving it a mummy-like aspect. I mention this fact 

 as it is believed both at Skidegate and Masset, and probably generally 

 among the Haidas, that the bodies of medicine-men do not decay like 

 those of others, leaving only the bones, but dry up without decomposi- 

 tion. In this particular case, it is said among the people of the tribe 

 that if anyone looking at the dead man should see a skeleton only, he 

 or some of his near kinsfolk will surely soon die, whereas if flesh is 

 seen the omen is propitious. 



G-hostiyappan- Qf ano tber ska-ga entombed near the Skidegate Village, I was told 

 by a Haida that on one occasiau he was returning to the village, about 

 twilight, when, on looking to where he knew the tomb to be, he saw 

 the skd-ga himself, standing erect with his medicine rattle in his hand. 

 My informant was much frightened, and on getting to the village told 

 the people what he had seen, causing no small commotion among 

 them, for the apparition was universally accepted as an evil omen. 

 Shortly afterwards his wife, brother, brother's wife, and two sisters 

 went, with others, to Victoria, and all taking small-pox died there. 



A medicine-man is entitled to take from the grave of his predecessor 

 any of his peculiar properties. The privilege is. however, not always 

 or immediately made use of, and it may probably be necessary to. wait 

 for some dream or omen before doing so. 



a H w!nd? tl0n f ° r Tne following method of procedure to obtain a fair wind, though not 

 confined in practice to medicine-men, but known to most of the Haidas, 

 may serve to show the childish nature of their mystery performances. 

 An Indian fasting, shoots a raven, quickly singes it in the fire, and 

 then going to the edge of the sea, sweeps it four times on the surface 

 in the direction in which the wind is desired. He then throws it 

 behind him, but afterwards picking it up, sets it in a sitting posture 

 at the foot of a spruce tree, facing toward the required wind. Prop- 

 ping its beak open with a stick, he then requests a fair wind for a 

 certain number of days, and going away lies down and covers himself 

 up with his blanket, till a second Indian asks him for how many days 

 he has required the wind, to which question he answers. 



