130 b 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



Polygamy. 



Training of 

 girls. 



various articles of property to her, constituting her dowry. She is led 

 away by her husband, but after a time returns on a visit to her parents, 

 bringing presents, generally of food, from her husband. 



Marriage is contracted early. Polygamy is practised, but not 

 extensively; it was formerly more usual, but was always mainly or 

 entirely confined to recognised chiefs. I could hear of but a single 

 instance in which a man yet has two Avives. This case is at Skidegate. 

 Three or four wives were not uncommon with a chief in former days, 

 and it was told to me as a tradition by a Haida that a Tshimsian chief 

 at one time had ten wives. As the women do not contribute materially 

 to the support of the family, attending only to the accessory duties of 

 curing and preserving the fish, it is probably difficult for a man to 

 maintain many wives. The women appear to be well treated on the 

 whole, are by no means looked upon as mere servants, and have a 

 voice in most matters in which the men engage. Children are 

 desired, and treated as well as the mode of life and knowledge of the 

 Haida admits. Very few children are now, however, seen about some 

 of the villages, the women resorting to Victoria for purposes of 

 prostitution. Their husbands, be it said to their shame, frequently 

 accompany them, and live on their ill-gotten gains. It is said that in 

 the early days of their contact with the whites, the Haidas were 

 distinguished by good morals. If so, they differed from most of the 

 coast tribes, among whom great laxity has always prevailed. Female 

 chastity is certainly not now prized. 



When a girl is about to reach maturity she must attend to various 

 ceremonies, and pass through certain ordeals. It was the custom that 

 she should wear a peculiar cloak or hood at that time for several 

 months, or even half a year. This was made of woven cedar-bark, 

 nearly conical in shape, and reached down below the breast, though 

 open before the face. It was, I believe, called ky-xe. The face was 

 painted with the powdered fungus already alluded to, and fasting more 

 or less severe was practised. It was also customary to screen off a 

 corner of the lodge and give the girl a separate fire, and allow her to 

 go out and in by a separate door at the back of the house. This was 

 connected with an idea of ceremonial uncleanness. Did she require to 

 pass out by the front door, it was necessary first to remove all the arms 

 and various other things. In meeting men, the face was to be quickly 

 covered with a corner of the blanket. These or other similar customs 

 were also in vogue among the Tshimsians, whose practices so closely 

 resemble the Haidas inmost respects. Among these people great care 

 was taken to teach the girls submission, contentment, and industry. 

 At certain times they were not allowed to lie down to sleep, but if 

 overcome with drowsiness must prop themselves in a sitting posture 



