The Beaver Indians

Front matter

ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS

OF

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Introduction

The material presented in this paper was secured during the summer of 1913, spent on the Peace River. Arriving at Vermilion June 18, a visit was first made to the Slavey on Hay River on the occasion of the payment of the treaty money. The month of July and the first two weeks of August were spent with the Beaver on Paddle River, particular attention being given to the language and the securing of myths and tales in the form of texts. During the latter half of August and September the Beaver of Fort St. John and Dunvegan were visited. About half of this time was con¬ sumed in travel; and work with the Indians was difficult because suitable interpreters were not available.

Not much of ethnological interest is directly observable at Vermilion since the outward aspects of life have yielded to the long continued influence of the fur traders. Conditions in that respect appear to be better at Fort St. John, but the Indians had left or were on the point of leaving for the fall hunting. The few ethnological notes here presented were mostly secured incidentally to the linguistic work and the collecting of specimens.

The sounds of Beaver are represented as follows: — a, e, i, o, u, nearly as in father, met, pique, bone, and rule; u as in but; g,, e, j, q, ij, nasalized; c as sh; x as jota in Spanish; 1, a lateral surd spirant; e glottal stop; after a consonant indicates glottalization of the consonant.

February 14, 1916.