63 
The rifle has, of course, for many generations, supplanted all other 
weapons, being one of the first implements in general use after white 
contact. 
WAR 
The northern Athapaskans have been described as having led con- 
stantly a life of incredible bloodshed in early times, and also as a very 
unwarlike people. Considering the struggle for existence under northern 
conditions, the isolation of the tribes of so large an area, and the difficulties 
of travel, the latter view seems the more credible. Their treachery in 
combat has been widely recognized and one writer indeed says that they 
should be called murderers rather than warriors. Precedence in the status 
of bravery has been accorded to numerous different tribes by various 
commentators, but such judgments are of questionable accuracy. 
The Chipewyans are the traditional enemies of the tribes living north 
of them. The Satudene have vague memories of several massacres in 
their struggles with wandering bands of Chipewyans. Mackenzie (1802, 
page 17) said that the Chipewyan pillaged the Yellowknives so often that 
the latter gave up the hunting of beaver as a profitable enterprise. 
The best authenticated feud between tribes of Great Bear Lake region 
was that which ended in the almost complete annihilation of the Yellow- 
knives by the Dogribs, perhaps in conjunction with the Hares. It is said 
that the Yellowknives habitually tyrannized over the Dogribs, robbing 
them of their goods and their women, until finally, about 1830, the Dogribs 
retaliated so successfully as to remove all danger from that quarter (See 
Franklin, 1828, page 9; Simpson, 1843, page 317; Richardson, 1852, pages 
208, 251; Back, 1836, page 457). Dogribs also fought with the Slave, and 
Richardson (1852, page 98) mentions a place that was named because of a 
massacre of Dogribs by a war party of Beaver (Slave) Indians. 
Like neighbouring tribes, the Satudene have had more or less conflict 
with the Eskimo. It is a well-known fact that during historical times 
down to the last few years they followed the southern route through 
McTavish bay in their journeys to upper Coppermine River country rather 
than risk encounters with the Eskimo who hunt southwards to the neigh- 
bourhood of Dease bay. An old woman of about seventy years remembered 
that as a child the sight of Eskimo smoke was a sign to move from the 
vicinity. She said the Eskimo raided the Indian camps and took the 
children. The Satudene Indians did not always run away from the 
Eskimo, for they boast a willingness to engage them if necessary even to 
this day. Hearne's story of the massacre of Eskimo at Bloody falls, near 
the mouth of the Coppermine, is probably the best known of such examples. 
Richardson reports (1852, page 161) that the Hares of Good Hope told of 
meeting Eskimo, probably on Anderson river, whereupon a quarrel ensued 
and several of the latter were killed. 
Causes of warfare included the desire to capture women, and one of 
the first signs of hostility was the sending away of wives and children. 
Blood-feud, perhaps accidentally started, was also reason for war, and the 
belief of a group that another was maliciously using 'medicine’ against 
them probably likewise initiated conflict. Sometimes fighting occurred 
over the occupation of good hunting territory. 
