prepared with the hair on,
and rendered as fine and soft as chamois leather. In summer their
apparel is of similar skins, but prepared without the hair. A ruff or
tippet surrounds the neck; and the skin of the head of a deer forms a
curious kind of cap.

Plurality of wives is allowed among the Chepewyans; and the ceremony of
marriage is very simple. At a very early period, the girls are betrothed
to such persons as the parents consider best able to support them. The
desires of the women are never considered; and whenever a separation
takes place, which sometimes happens, it depends entirely on the will of
the husband.

These Indians are not remarkable for activity as hunters: this is owing
to the ease with which they snare deer, and spear fish. They are not
addicted to the use of spirituous liquors; and are, on the whole, an
extremely peaceful tribe. Their weapons and domestic apparatus, in
addition to articles procured from Europeans, are spears, bows and
arrows, fishing-nets, and lines made of deer-skin thongs. Their
amusements are but few. Their music is so inharmonious, and their
dancing so awkward, that they might be supposed to be ashamed of both,
as they seldom practise either. They shoot at marks, and play at
different games; but they prefer sleeping to any of these: and the
greatest part of their time is passed in procuring food, and resting
after the toil of obtaining it.

The notion which these people entertain of the creation of the world is
a very singular one. They believe that the globe was originally one vast
ocean, inhabited by no living creature, except an immense bird, whose
eyes were of fire, whose glances were lightning, and the clapping of
whose wings was thunder. On the descent of this bird to the ocean, and
at the instant of touching it, they say that the earth arose, and
remained on the surface of the waters. This omnipotent bird then called
forth all the variety of animals from the earth, except the Chepewyans,
who were produced from a dog; and to this circumstance they attribute
their aversion to dog's-flesh. The tradition proceeds to relate, that
the great bird, having finished his work, made an arrow, which was to be
preserved with great care, and to remain untouched; but that the
Chepewyans were so devoid of understanding, as to carry it away; and
this sacrilege so enraged the bird, that he has never since appeared.
They believe also, that, in ancient times, their ancestors lived till