Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-19
FROM. THE CANADIAN TRIBES.
GIT Of Mr.. Edward r. vaIenti1

Through the research and generosity OF
Mr.. Edward P. Valentine, who has spent
the summer travelling through British
Colu1nbfa, some valuable relics have Just
been placed In tue Valentine museum.
Indian relics of rare value constitute
the most interesting portion or these &C
QUESTIONS.
Among the curios are two inner totems
One formerly belonging to Chiel Mon
giema, was sent from Friendly Cove. and
is Of wood, five feet high, representing
man in sitting position wearing crown
of feathers, and Its grotesque appearance
is increased by yellow and blue paint.
The other totem came from Skedigatc,
Queen Charlotte Island, and is taller
and painted with blue and yellow paint:
its base is carved like whales head,
above which is bear, then frog. and
at the top is the figure of man. The
whole Is made of wood, and Is one OF the
oldest pieces In the COLLECTION.
FOR DEPARTED SPIRITS.
A soul trap, which is for departed spir-
its, is a small box made of wood, Which
was sent from Quartsino. A tanning knife
with bone handle and steel blade caught
with strips of hide; halibut fishing rope
and hook. the latter eight inches in
length, with lead sink about the size
of a goose egg-these are in the collec-
ton.
A unique article Is a strap, which IS
placed around the head and to which Is
attached ropes Of hemp, by which means
baskets are carried by the Haida Indians.
A bark beaten is also an odd affair, made
OF whale-bone, and is used to prepare the
bark. A cedar bark cape is sample OF
the ingenuity of the Indians. It is made
Of strips Of bark beaten and woven into
circular affair like the eapes worn by
us, except that it is put on by slipping
the head through a whole in the center.
GHOST DANCE MASKS.
The most hideous and repulsive objects
in the collection are the masks used by
the Indians In the ghost dance. These
are made Of wood carved into the most
dreadful docking faces. with eyes and
tongues protruding, daubed with paints.
and to which are attached pieces of
blankets which cover the head and hang
down in the back. AS finishing touch,
numerous feathers are stuck around the
top of the head. A rattle for the war
dance is a wooden affair, hollow with
number Of pebbles INSIDE to make a noise
when shaken. There is an Indian drum
made of hide and grotesquely painted with
the crest of some tribe OF Indians.
A peculiar affair Is a wooden seal which
was used to feed the spirits Of the de-
parted by being filled with shell-dsh.
There are two arrows, with steel heads,
and a wooden war club. Among the do
mestic implements are two wooden needles
four feet long. a shuttle, and three spoons
A fancifut affair is a head-dresS made
o. deer hOofs dangling from crown,
which was worn in the dance before the
Prince of Wales last year at the exposi-
ton grounds at Victoria Bay.
FINE WORKMANSHIP.
The food chest of wood might bring the
blush of shame to the cheeks of our car
penters. 1t is about three feet tall and
two and half feet wide, and the four
corners, instead of being damned. are
bent so that the affair is all one piece
of wood, simply joined at one place. The
chest is stained, and contains what is evil
IDENTIFY the crest Of particular tribe. An
oil box, too, is also wonderful piece of
carpenter work, and is beautifully carved.
This came from luartsino Sound. Other
interesting things in the collection are
the banner stats, fishing hooks. and
ScrapeS.
Two glass cases have lately been placed
in one Of the rooms. These contain the
bones of 400 Indians OF prehistoric times.
and were found buried under a mound
near Hays Creek, in Rockbridge county.
Mr.. Jones. who is in charge Of the mu-
scum, being a fine anatomist, was able
to place the bones together, and also
mend many of the skulls, which were
necessarily broken.