"Many of the old women have so often repeated this ceremony that they have not a complete finger remaining on either hand" (Mackenzie).
[Illustration: CARIBOU SWIMMING A RIVER] The Amerindians of North America were religious and superstitious, and had a firm faith in a world of spiritual agencies within or outside the material world around us.

Most of them believed in the existence of "fairies",--woodland, earth, mountain, or water spirits--whom they declared they could see from time to time in human semblance.

Or such spirit or demi-god might assume for a time or permanently the form of an animal.

To all such spirits of earth, air, and water, or to the sacred animals they inhabited, sacrifices would be offered and prayers made.

Great importance was attributed to dreams and visions.