THE TECHNOLOGIST, 



AN ACCOUNT OF THE ANIMALS USEFUL IN AN ECONOMIC 

 POINT OF VIEW TO THE VARIOUS CHIPEWYAN TRIBES. 



btre. eoss, Hudson's bay co.'s service. 



"While collecting and arranging a series of specimens of the industrial 

 arts of thb natives of McKenzie's River District, for the Industrial Museum 

 of Edinburgh, I was struck, not only with their number, but also with 

 their importance to the domestic comfort of these races. 



Though doubtless much of the skill of the Chipewyan tribes has been 

 lost since the period of Sir Alexander McKenzie's visit, by the introduction 

 of European manufactures, enough yet remains to prove interesting as 

 exhibiting the arts and manufactures of a people still in the first stages of 

 social existence and civilisation. The manufactures are in themselves 

 rude, and, with the exception of porcupine work, I know of none that 

 would obtain the name of art, or win in a Museum, the meed of more 

 than a passing glance from anyone, save an ethnologist. To the unre- 

 flecting, or to those who for mere pleasure visit these " repositories of 

 science," they must indeed be caviare, but to the philosophic mind they 

 would speak volumes, as showing the human intellect, though in its 

 lowest stages, attempting, not unsuccessfully, to break through the sur- 

 rounding crust of animalism, and struggle to emerge into a sphere of 

 higher intelligence. 



In the present sketch, I entirely exclude the Eskimos and Loucheux — 

 though recent researches almost confirm me in the opinion that the latter 

 tribe is a branch of the Chipewyan family — as it would swell the paper 

 much beyond the limits to which I have restricted myself, to pass their 

 handicrafts also in review. 



The Chipewyan tribes — including the Montaignais, Yellow-knives, 

 Beavers, Dog-ribs, Slaves, Sickannies, Nehaunies, and Hare Indians — draw 

 their resources from the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms ; but I 



VOL. II. T 



