with barefeet, except when engaged in some occupation away from home,
which exposes them to injury.

Nearly all the adults are tattooed upon the arms and legs, many upon
the breasts, and occasionally one upon the face. The designs usually
represent tribal and family crests and totem. The practice is being
gradually discontinued. The face is generally painted for dances, by
the women when mourning, and frequently by both sexes when travelling,
to protect it from the effects of the sun and wind, Vermillion, the
fungus of trees, burnt and ground, common charcoal, deer tallow, and
spruce gum are used for this purpose. Labrets--pieces of wood, bone or
shell, from 1.5 to 2.5 inches in length--are worn by a few old
females, but this hideous, monstrosity is now never found upon the
young women. Many of the middle-aged, however, pierce the centre of
the lower lip and insert a small silver tube, which projects about a
quarter of an inch. Both sexes perforate the septum of the nose for
rings, but I have only seen two worn by the Hydas, and these were
silver. The medicine men, while performing their dances, sometimes
insert a semi-circular bone from eight to ten inches in length. They
are very fond of ornaments, which are used in profusion, especially
upon their dance and ceremonial dresses and robes, and by the females
upon their persons. I saw a woman at Skidegate with sixteen silver
rings upon her hands, and two or three heavy silver bracelets are
quite commonly worn. Feathers, mother-of-pearl buttons, puffin bills,
abalone, dentalum and other shells, silver pieces, and deer toes, are
among their favorite articles of adornment.

* * * * *

Manners and Customs.