A few Tahltans bought slaves from the Tlingit. Or slaves were captured in battle with the Nass people and with the Taku. We did not go to war with the Tlingit and the Kaska, so we had no slaves from these nations. They were trading partners, and often intermarriage took place between us and the Tlingit and Kaska. Slaves taken during battle could be bought back at any time.

Slaves were valuable property. Emmons (1906) reports that a male slave would cost 100 beaver pelts. A female slave cost 50 beaver pelts.

Our slaves were usually not-mistreated. They were workers and hunters. Slaves were allowed to marry other slaves, but their children were slaves as well.

An owner of slaves might release slaves at any time, especially in honour of the death of the head of the household or the death of a child. Sometimes slaves were killed at the death of a headman. Slaves were usually killed by breaking their neck. Often their body was thrown into the river.

We did not have many slaves, so when slavery came to an end, it did not affect us very much.