102 



RECREA TION. 



but those who are ambitious to become 

 prominent in the tribe, must buy such 

 honors. To do this means hard work, self- 

 denial and the exercise of good judgment. 



When one of these fellows determines to 

 become a Ti-ye, or great man, among his 

 people, he puts forth extra efforts in the 

 pursuit of furs. He becomes economical 

 in his living expenses, and allows no op- 

 portunity to pass by which he may add to 

 his stores. 



At the end of the season's hunt, he brings 

 his catch to the trader, squares accounts, 

 and, if his efforts have been rewarded and a 

 balance is due him, he receives this balance 

 in blankets, guns, muslin, and tobacco. 

 These are taken to his cache and carefully 

 put away. Fortunate hunters have been 

 known to accumulate, in one year, $500 

 worth of this truck, though rarely more 

 than $100, and generally less. The deposit 

 is added to during a period of 5 to 20 years, 

 according to his success and ambition. 



When finally satisfied that his' wealth is 

 sufficient with which to buy the honors he 

 wishes, his goods are all brought to some 

 place convenient to his rancharie, and in- 

 vitations are sent to all those he desires 

 present, generally the entire village popu- 

 lation. 



A rancharie is usually about 30 or 40 feet 

 square, with but one entrance. 



When the time arrives for the ceremonies 

 of the potlatch to begin, the host takes the 

 seat of honor, at the rear of the room, fac- 

 ing the door. Several young men are ap- 

 pointed to act as a reception committee and 

 to seat the guests as indicated by the host. 

 His chosen friends and the most distin- 

 guished men are seated at the immediate 

 right and left of the host, and the others are 

 disposed of according to their social im- 

 portance. Those of but little consideration 

 are seated, or left standing, near the door. 

 Pipes and tobacco are now distributed 

 alike to all present, and while the smoke 

 proceeds the ushers bring the goods to be 

 distributed, piling them in a confused mass 

 in the centre of the room. 



When all are brought the host makes a 

 speech, expressive of his good will toward 

 his fellow men and of his desire to honor 

 them as is their due. Then begins the dis- 

 tribution of gifts, the ushers delivering the 

 parcels after his directions. The value of 

 the gifts depends entirely on the goods ac- 

 cumulated and on the number of guests 

 present. If the donor has been successful 

 in all probability the present to the first 

 man on his right will be 5 blankets and a 

 rifle. This latter is always a Winchester — 

 they know no other. The man on the left 

 will get 4 blankets and a rifle, and so on 

 down. 



When nearing the door, or entrance, 10 

 yards of muslin is usually given, and to 

 those immediately next to the entrance, 

 only one yard of muslin is allotted. Every- 



one accepts his position and his gift with- 

 out question, and all express profound 

 thanks. Many of the more prominent 

 guests, make short, enthusiastic speeches in 

 honor of the now great and influential man 

 — the big Ti-ye. 



Social etiquette demands that whenever 

 one of these guests gives a potlatch he must 

 invite the present master of ceremonies and 

 give him 2 like articles for each one re- 

 ceived here. 



The Tahltan and the Tooya rivers are 2 

 of the few tributaries of the Stickeen not 



THE LEAPING SALMON. 



fed by glaciers. From the Tahltan to the 

 Tooya our route followed high, dry ridges; 

 and on making our descent into the canyon 

 of the Tooya I thought, for a time, the river 

 would never be reached. Down, down, we 

 went, zig-zaging back and forth as though 

 on a winding stairway; and the climb on 

 the other side of the river was equally long 

 and tedious. 



The canyon of the Tooya is the grandest, 

 boldest, and most picturesque illustration 

 of Nature's carving to be seen anywhere 

 within the Stickeen basin. In many places 

 solid granite walls rise to a perpendicular 

 height of more than 1,000 feet. At one 

 place, facing one of these from the opposite 

 side of the river, equally imposing and far 

 more interesting, was a wall composed of a 

 great many different layers, of as many dif- 

 ferent formations. Each layer presented a 

 distinct color. There were subdued shades 

 of pink, ecru, red, slate, and green. 



Along the crest of these high walls grows 

 a lace-like fringe of the slender, graceful 

 black pine, just back of which rises, one 

 upon another, great high benches, up which 

 our path wound through scattered clumps 

 of stunted pines. 



In many places sections from the granite 

 walls have tumbled into the narrow channel 

 of the river and dammed it to a height of 50 

 feet. Through these obstructions it forces 

 its way in torrents of foam and spray. 



