Page:Archæologia Americana—volume 2, 1836.djvu/56

 20 A SYNOPSIS OF THE INDIAN TRIBES. [iNTROD. possession of the Knistinaux, who have driven away the origi- nal inhabitants. The Unijah, which is the principal branch, has its source west of the Rocky Mountains, through which it forces its pas- sage. It was up that river and its southwestern branch, that Sir A. Mackenzie proceeded on his expedition to the Pacific. lie found there, as has already been stated, several tribes speaking dialects belonging to the same family as that of the Cheppeyans. He designates them under several probably local names, Nauscud Dennies, Slouacus Dennies, and Nagailers, and has left a short vocabulary of the last. From Mr. Harmon, an American, who resided several years amongst those tribes, we have a recent and much more comprehensive account, as well as a vocabulary of the principal tribe, the Carriers, who call themselves " Tacullies," or " people w 7 ho go upon water." He describes the country, called New Caledonia by the North- west Fur Company, as extending, west of the Stony Moun- tains, three hundred and fifty miles from east to west, and from the 51st to the 58th degree of north latitude. He says that it is very mountainous, containing several lakes ; that about one sixth part is covered with water ; and that the whole popula- tion does not exceed five thousand souls. This must include not only all the Athapasca tribes, as far north as latitude 58°, but also part of the Atnahs. The Tacullies appear to be seated principally on the head- waters of Fraser's River, and Mr. Harmon mentions two other nations as speaking similar dialects, the Sicaunies on the upper waters of the Unijah River, and the Nateote tains,* who live west of the Tacullies, on a considerable river of the same name, which, according to his map, empties into the Pacific Ocean, in about latitude 53° 30'. The similarity of language amongst all the tribes that have been enumerated under this head (the Loucheux excepted) is fully established. It does not appear to have any distinct affinities with any other than that of the Kinai. Yet w T e may observe that the word " men," or " people," in the Eskimaux language is -- innuit, in the Cheppeyan - dinnie, in some of the Algonkin-Lenape dialects inini; and that the Cheppeyan word for " woman," chequois, seems allied to the Lenape squaw.
 * Page 379. But this is doubtful,