94 THE GREAT DENE RACE.

The Carriers formerly wore a dainty cap of marmot skin made in this
wise. “A band some three inches broad was cut from the skin with the hair
on and secured at cither end so as to form a crown-like head dress. Over
this was sewed a piece of similar material leaving out a brim of the same
width as that of the band. The projecting part of the skin was then slit into
a fringe which rested gracefully on the original head-band. This description
applies to the summer cap. The winter head gear consisted of a hemispherical
bow! of woven rabbit-skin strips without fringes. Both summer and winter,
men and women wore the same kind of cap” },

As to the national foot gear, this ever was, and has remained to this
day, the well-known mocassin, or soft leather shoe. In the north, it was
originally of the dressed skin of the elk (Cervus canadensis). But the poorer
classes frequently made it of untanned marmot skin, or in the west even of
salmon skin. Mocassins are now uniformly of dressed cariboo or moose skin
in the far north and of deer skin among the Chilcotins.

Their manufacture necessitates no great expenditure of skilled labour.
An oblong piece of soft leather is trimmed to a semi-oval shape by round-
ing off one end, which is then curved up lengthwise and the outer edges
sewed together with sinew thread, thus forming the forepart of the foot. An
instep piece, generally of different colour and material — though always
of leather — and usually ornamented with beadwork or silk embroidery is
then inserted in front, and the hind part joined together. To the upper edge
of the resulting shoe a piece of skin of an inferior quality, or not unfre-
quently some canvas or cotton stuff, is then added, which is intended to
take in the lower end of the pants or leggings, round which two leather
thongs are laced to keep the footgear in position. As a further ornament
a narrow band of red or blue cloth, or both combined, with notched or
scalloped edges run horizontally round the ankle from one side of the instep
to the other.

The Chilcotins, who have of late become the possessors of large bands
of horses, ordinarily insert one or two pieces of hard wood in the heel part
of their mocassins, which they use as Spurs.

According to Dr. Boas, instead of mocassins the Tscet’saut of both Sexes
wore high boots of marmot skins which reached to the thigh. The Navahoes,
on the other hand, prefer low mocassins of buckskin, soled with rawhide and
surmounted with leggings of dyed deer skin. When the Hupas wore any
footgear, at ail, the sole of their mocassins was double. But in the south, and
indeed in the north as well, it is quite common to go barefooted. In rainy
weather, or even through the slush resulting in winter from momentary warm
winds, no footgear of any kind is worn in the north, as the softness of the
mocassin would then cause it to adhere uncomfortably to the wet feet.

* “Notes on the Western Dénés”, p. 164.