658 ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS. 



to save for another. In the distribution all do not receive equal 

 amounts, but special friends, the young and strong and those who are 

 planning to make a potlatch, generally receive the most in the hope tiiat 

 they may return the compliment at some future time, but the old and 

 those not likely to give such an entertainment receive but little, it 

 being a poor investment to give to such persons. Potlatches are the 

 greatest festivals of these Indians. 



Tamanous ceremony and social intercourse, including feasting and the 

 distribution of presents, are the prominent features of the occasion, 

 while as side ghows they have courting and gambling, the latter being- 

 very prominent. 



These feasts do not occur with any regularity, and there are many 

 old persons who have not taken part in giving more than one potlatch 

 in their lives. Abouc the year 1808 one was given by a number of 

 Twanas. In 1876 another was given to a totally different set of the 

 same tribe, and in 1878 another was given by them in which only one 

 man participated who was present at one ten years previously. Others 

 of those engaged in 1868 had intended to take part, but some of their 

 children having died they gave way so much at theirfunerals that they 

 had nothing left to share in the potlatch. 



I was present at a potlatch given by several Twanas on the Skoko- 

 mish reservation in October, 1876. For many years they had been pre- 

 paring for it. Old women went in rags, while filling trunks with 

 calico to give away at this time. Of these boxes of dry goods some had 

 been deposited in my hands for more than a year. In the winter of 

 1874-75 they began the erection of the house, working only a day or 

 two at it now and then ; but in the summer following the leader of the 

 affair died and nothing more was done until the spring of 1870, when 

 others took hold of it and half finished it. They set the time for the 

 potlatch in August, but because they were not ready deferred it for one 

 mouth and then for another. Two or three weeks previous to the event 

 they agciin went to work at the house and finished it. It was by no 

 means large enough for all who were present, but mat houses, tents, 

 and other temporary shelters were put up around it by various persons. 

 About the 14th of October they sent runners to the various surround- 

 ing tribes and on the 29th the first installment arrived, consisting of 

 about a hundred Chehalis Indians. They came in wagons and on 

 horseback to within about 4 miles of the house — as near as they could 

 because of water. Here they were met by a leader of the potlatcb, and 

 after considerable speech-making they camped for the night. The next 

 day the Twanas sent six large canoes to take them to the house. At 

 noon they rowed past the agency, 1 mile from camp, abreast, singing a 

 solo and chorus, accompanied by drumming on two drums and pound- 

 ing on canoes. After passing the agency they broke line and so went 

 on for a mile or more until they came in sight of the ])otlatch house, 

 when they again formed abreast and rowed to the house in alignment 



