aa

32 2 REPORT—1890.

list, put is not contained in that of Knipping. The fki/lath and.

Hatea/ath are not contained in the former lists. The Eki’'lath have
greatly decreased in numbers and therefore joined the Ts’éca/ath; the
Haci/ath have become extinct. The tribes of Barclay Sound claim that
the Hopetcisa/th did not belong originally to the Nootka people, but that
they were assimilated when the Ts’éci/ath migrated up Alberni Channel
and settled in the upper part of this region, which event is said to have
taken place less than a century ago. The Hopetcisa’th, who at that time
inhabited the head of Alberni Channel and Sproat Lake, are said to have
spoken the Nanaimo language. I have tried to find any traces of that
language in local names, but have been unsuccessful. It is true that the
natives do not understand the meaning of most of the names of places ;
but, on the other hand, I have not found any that can be referred to the
Nanaimo language. A number of men of the age of about fifty years
affirm that their grandfathers did not know the Nootka language, but
spoke Nanaimo, and that their fathers still knew a number of words of

the old language. It may be mentioned in this connection that the

vocabulary contains a few words borrowed from the Nanaimo. The
traditions and totems of the Hopetcisa’th bear out their claim that they
originally lived in the interior of the island, and did not visit the mouth
of Barclay Sound (see below). I have not succeeded in finding any
evidence of this change of language except the unanimous assertions of
the natives.

The single tribes are subdivided into septs, which seem to correspond
very closely to the gentes of the Coast Salish, as described in the first
section of this report. I obtained lists of the septs of three tribes, the
Ts’éca/ath, the Hopetcisa’th, and the Tok’oi/ath.

I. Septs of the T's’éca’ath.

1. Ts’éca’ath : ‘ 3 . Crest: Wolf.

2. Nu’c’asath : : ; : » Whale.

3. Netcimt/asath . , 5 : »  Thunder-bird.
4, Waninka’th . s : : » snake.

5, Ma’/ktl’aiath . : ; : ee ware:

6. Tla/smntiesath . : : : >»  Ala'tlk’é.

7. Ha’méyisath . : 5  sea-otter.

8. Ku’tssEmhaath . : : . 5»  Ic’éné’ath.

9, Kuai/ath . : ; : : » Whale and man.

II. Septs of the Hopetcisa/th. Crest: Bear, wolf.

1. Mo’hotl’ath. 3. Tsd/més’ath.
2. T)i/kutath.

III. Septs of the Tok’od/ath.

1. Tok’oa’ath. | 7. Tuckis’a’th.
2. Maa/koath. | 8. Kohatsdath.
3. Wa’stsanek. | 9, Te’é/nate’aath.
4, To'tak‘amayaath. 10. Mertst6’asath.
5. Tsa/k‘tsak‘oath. 11. Tecd’miath.

6. Mu’‘ktciath.

The septs as given here are arranged according to rank, the highest

: