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ill a peculiar environment, and incapable of withstanding a chill 
breeze from the outside world. Like Greece in the days of its decad- 
ence, it dazzled the more primitive tribes on its borders, and extended 
its influence farthest after decline had set in at the heart. ^ Despite 
its strange brilliance in ceremonialism and art, it had apparently 
reached full blossom at the coming of the white man, and was lacking 
in further potentialities for healthy and vigorous growth.- 
1 The phratric Avilh the rudiments of gradation aei’ording to rank, reached the Rocky 
moimlains within the last half century and began to establish itself among the Sekani at the head- 
waters of Peace river, anil among the miscellaneous bands, largely Kaska, that now oecupy the head- 
waters of the Liarfl and Pelly. It had penetrated to the Kntehin Indians on Peel and Poreiipine 
rivers before the nineteenth century. We can hardly doubt (indeed, for the .Sekani, there is definite 
proof) that the.se Athapaskan Indians hud previously favoured the patern.al line of deseent, like their 
kinsmen to-day in the Miiokenzie valley. But with the pliratic .system they adopted also the 
matrilinear organization of the coast tribes, a change which runs directiy counter to the theory, more 
strongly adyoeated in Europe than in .America, that in the development of human society a matrilinear 
stage invariably precedeil llio patrilinear. 
2 Such, at least, is the judgment of the writer. Not all students, perliaps, Avill concur in it. 
