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CANADIAN LANDSCAPES/ PAYSAGES CANADIENS and the child, considering the challenging circumstances they face (DavisFloyd—Cheyney 4). Surprisingly, natural elements were not only linked with times of peace for the Denesuline. A relevant example here from Hearne’s body of work is the Bloody Falls massacre. On 16 July 1771, scouting Denesuline parties of Hearne’s expedition returned with a report that they had found a few tents full of Inuit. The group immediately prepared to attack, and ambushed the sleeping natives on July 17 at 1 a.m. Hearne accompanied the Denesuline but took no part in the attack, retreating a little further from the tents. Despite this, an Inuit girl was killed at his feet, which shocked him. Around twenty Inuit lost their lives this time, men, women and children alike (108-116). Before the battle, rituals were performed by the Denesuline to commune with their environment. One such ritual observed is what Hearne terms superstition. The day before the battle, the natives made themselves a shield decorated in the following way: “each of them painted the front of his target or shield, some with the figure of the Sun, others with that of the Moon, several with different kinds of birds and beasts of prey, and many with the images of imaginary beings, which, according to their silly notions, are the inhabitants of the different elements, Earth, Sea, Air” (Hearne 109). Hearne believes the painting of the shields had to do with possessing the power of these creatures and phenomena in battle. And although the description mentions that they produced two colours, black and red, for the lack of time, Hearne himself assumes that in calmer times these shields could have been much more colourful (109-110). This may suggest that the practice of creating shield paintings belonged to the scope of Frazer’s classic sympathetic magic (Frazer 31-32). The creatures painted on the shield include natural elements such as the sun or the air (Tylor 174-178). That such elements are inhabited by supernatural forces or spirits is an ancient concept among many indigenous peoples of the Americas, e.g. the Inca culture of Peru, the Inuit culture of Greenland (Vassänyi, Second Contact 209-228; Vassänyi, Szellemhivok es dldozdrok). What is interesting in Hearne’s description though, is that the forces that reside in these elements are invoked in a battle. Fishing also has its own customs and rituals, which cannot be ignored. Generally speaking, nets are made of deerskin, and the corners of the finished net are tied with beaks and feet of birds, and even otter legs. The function of these animal parts is not ornamental, but rather stems from their superstition, Hearne claims. Indeed, aboriginals believe that if these animal parts are not attached to the nets, they will not catch any fish, and throwing the nets into the water is useless (Hearne 217). According to folklorist Gary R. Varner, the talismans made this way are designed to “trap” the spirits and tie them to the net, to ensure the success of the fishing venture. And although Hearne does s 110 +
