328 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



long fowling-piece thrown carelessly across the arm, or balanced on the back of 

 the neck. The several articles here enumerated are ornamented at the seams 

 and hems with leather thongs wound round with porcupine quills, or more or 

 less embroidered with bead- work, according to the industry of the wife or 

 wives. One of the young men, even of the slovenly Dog-ribs, when newly 

 equipped, and tripping jauntily over the mossy ground with an elastic step, dis- 

 plays his slim and not ungraceful figure to advantage. But this fine dress once 

 donned is neither laid aside nor cleaned while it lasts, and soon acquires a dingy 

 look, and an odor which betrays its owner at some distance. In the camp a 

 greasy blanket of English manufacture is worn over the shoulders by day, and 

 forms with the clothes the bedding by night." 



In winter they clothe themselves with moose or reindeer skins, retaining the , 

 hair, while a large robe of the same material is thrown over the shoulders, and 

 hangs down to the feet in place of the blanket. The women's dress resembles 

 the men's, but the skirt is somewhat longer, and generally accompanied by a 

 petticoat which reaches nearly to the knee. The form of dress here described 

 is common to the whole Tinne nation, and also to the Crees, but the material 

 varies with the district. Thus moose-deer, red-deer, and bison leather are in 

 use among the more southern and western tribes, and the Hare Indians make 

 their skirts of the skins of the animal from which they derive their surname. 

 As this, however, is too tender to be used in the ordinary way, it is torn into 

 narrow strips, twisted slightly, and plaited or worked into the required shape. 

 Such is the closeness and fineness of the fur that these hare-skin dresses are 

 exceedingly warm, notwithstanding the closeness of their texture. 



The Hare Indian and Dog-rib women are certainly at the bottom of the 

 scale of humanity in North America. Not that they are treated with cruelty, 

 but that they are looked upon as inferior beings, and in this belief they them- 

 selves acquiesce. In early infancy the boy discovers that he may show any 

 amount of arrogance towards his sisters, who, as soon as they can walk, are 

 harnessed to a sledge, while the tiny hunter struts in his snow-shoes after the 

 men and apes their contempt of the women. All the work, except hunting and 

 fishing, falls to their share ; yet they are in general not discontented with their 

 lot. 



It would be vain to look among the Dog-ribs for the stoicism popularly 

 attributed to the Indians, for they shrink from pain, shed tears readily, and are 

 very timorous ; but all, young and old, enjoy a joke heartily, and when young 

 are lively and cheerful. "When bands of their nation meet each other after a 

 long absence, they perform a kind of dance. A piece of ground is cleared for 

 the purpose, and the dance frequently lasts for two or three days, the parties 

 relieving each other as they get tired. The two bands commence the dance 

 with their backs turned to each other, the individuals following one another in 

 Indian file, and holding the bow in the left hand and an arrow in the right. 

 They approach obliquely after many turns, and when the two bands are closely 

 back to back, they feign to see each other for the first time, and the bow is in- 

 stantly transferred to the right hand and the arrow to the left, signifying that 

 it is not their intention to use them against their friends. Their dancing, which 



