in a wooden box of its own. But it is not with the
shaman as with the warrior. The shaman is merely interred; since he is
supposed to be too full of the evil spirit to be consumed by fire. The
reason why burning is preferred to burying is because the possession of
a piece of flesh is supposed to enable its owner to do what mischief he
pleases.

_Now the Konaegi are admitted Eskimo._

Notwithstanding the similarity between the Sitkans and Konaegi there is
no want of true American customs amongst them. Cruelty to prisoners,
indifference to pain when inflicted on themselves, and the habit of
scalping are common to the Indians of King George's Archipelago, and
those of the water-system of the Mississippi. On the other hand, they
share the skill in painting and carving with the Chenuks and the
aborigines of the Oregon.

_The Digothi._--The Dahodinni are Athabaskan rather than Koluch; the
Nehanni Koluch rather than Athabaskan. Now I imagine that the Dahodinni
country is partially encircled by Koluch populations, and that a fresh
branch of this stock re-appears when we proceed northwards. On the Lower
McKenzie, in the valley of the Peel River, and at the termination of the
great Rocky Range on the shore of the Polar Sea, we find the _Digothi_
or _Loucheux_; the only family not belonging to the Eskimo class, which
comes in contact with the ocean; and, consequently, the only
unequivocally Indian population which interrupts the continuity of the
Eskimo from Behring's Straits to the Atlantic. Perhaps the alluvium of
a great river like the McKenzie, has determined this displacement. Such
an occupancy would be as naturally coveted by an inland population, as
undervalued by a maritime one. At any rate, the Loucheux have the
appearance of being an encroaching tenantry; indeed, few Indians have
had their physical appearance described in terms equally favourable.
Black-haired and fair-complexioned, with fine sparkling eyes, and
regular teeth, they approach the Nehanni in physiognomy, and surpass
them in stature. The same authority which expressly states that the
Nehanni are not generally tall, speaks to the athletic proportions and
tall stature of the Loucheux; adding that their countenances are
handsome and expressive.

Whence came they? From the south-east, from Russian America. Their
points of contrast to the Eskimo indicate this. Their points of contrast
to the Athabaskans indicate it also. Their points of similarity to the
Kol