The Ethnology of the British Colonies and DependenciesLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
History
The Ethnology of the British Colonies and Dependencies
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Ethnology
Notwithstanding the similarity between the Sitkans and Konægi 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 Chenúks and the
aborigines of the Oregon.
_The Digothi._--The Dahodinni are Athabaskan rather than Kolúch; the
Nehanni Kolúch rather than Athabaskan. Now I imagine that the Dahodinni
country is partially encircled by Kolúch 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
Kolúch do more. The Loucheux possessive pronoun is the same as the
Kenay. Thus--
ENGLISH. LOUCHEUX. KENAY.
_My_-son _se_-jay _ssi_-ja.
_My_-daughter _se_-zay _ssa_-za.
Fuller descriptions, however, of both the Loucheux and Nehanni are
required before we can decidedly pronounce them to be Kolúch; indeed,
so high an authority as Gallatin places the latter amongst the
Athabaskans.
_The Fall Indians._--In a MS. communicated by Mr. Gallatin to Dr.
Prichard, and, by the latter kindly lent to myself, and examined by me
some years back, was a vocabulary of the language of the Indians of the
Falls of the Saskatchewan. In this their native name was written
_Ahnenin_. Mr. Hale, however, calls them _Atsina_. Which is correct is
difficult to say.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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