73 
and, hanging down the back is fastened to the belt, as well as under 
the chin. The upper garment is a robe like that worn by the men.”^ 
Some of the variations in this costume undoubtedly arose from 
the varying climatic conditions. Although the extremes of tempera- 
ture at Edmonton, let us say, and in the Mackenzie delta, are 
much alike, the mean temperatures week by week, and month by 
month, differ greatly owing to the differences in latitude and the 
relative ]30sitions of the two places in regard to land and Avater areas, 
with consequent differences in the prevailing winds and atmospheric 
humidity. So, during the summer the men of the prairie tribes often 
wore only a breech-cloth and moccasins, using the robe for ceremonial 
occasions and for a covering during the night; and their shirts were 
liairless and sleeveless both in summer and in winter, the arms and 
head being protected by the robe alone. In eastern Canada, too, the 
natives went lightly clad in summer. The Iroquois, like the plains’ 
tribes, covered their heads with their robes in wintry Aveather and 
dreAv separate sleeA^'es OA^er their arms; their Avomen divided the dress 
into two parts, a blouse and a skirt, as did many plains’ tribes in the 
United States. The Micmac and Malecite of the Maritime Provinces 
Avore caps, but often their summer costume Avas simply a breech-cloth 
and moccasins for the men, and a dress and moccasins for the Avomen. 
A Avarmer and fuller dress Avas necessary in the northern regions. 
There the Indians used furred shirts fitted Avith permanent sleeves, 
and Avore a double layer of garments during the Avinter months, AA'ith 
the fur of the inner layer against the body. The Eskimo, and some 
adjacent tribes Avho folloAved their example, like the Naskapi of the 
Labrador peninsula, attached the cap to the shirt, making a kind of 
capote, and substituted fur trousers and fur stockings for the breech- 
cloth and leggings. The Mackenzie Delta Eskimo, and their enemies 
the Kutchin, joined trousers and stockings into one garment, but 
the eastern Eskimo kept them sepai*ate. The Slave and neighbouring 
tribes on the Mackenzie retained the breech-cloth (or a leather tassel 
that served the same ])urpose), but generally united the leggings with 
the moccasins. XotAA'ithstanding these local differences, there Avas 
clearly a general similarity in the costume of all the aborigines outside 
of the Pacific coast ; and although climate was not the only factor in 
1 Mackenzie: Op. cit., pi5. xciii fl'. 
.s6!)5(>— 6i 
