ATHAPASCAN

athapascan, a widely distributed linguistic stock of north american indians, the chief tribes included being the chippewyan, navajo, apache, jicarilla, lipan, hupa and wailaki. the athapascan family is geographically divided into northern, pacific and southern. the northern division (tinneh or dene) is about alaska, and the yukon and mackenzie rivers,--the eponymous "athabasca" tribe living round lake athabasca, in the province of alberta in canada. the pacific division covers a strip of territory, some 400 m. in length, from oregon southwards into california. the southern division includes arizona and new mexico, parts of utah, colorado, kansas and texas, and the northern part of mexico. the typical tribes are those of the northern division. see _handbook of american indians_ (washington, 1907).