INDIANS OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY. 667 



so crowded it was impossible to see what had become of the dancers 

 who were outside. A uew dance was now performed. In this a num- 

 ber of men, taking hold of each other's hands, formed a circle about 12 

 feet in diameter and ran around a pole which was set in the ground. 

 Outside of this circle was another running in an opposite direction, and 

 outside the second was a third going in the same direction as the first. 

 There was no confusion and they kept good time to the usual noises. 

 After this they formed sides to push against one another, each endeavor- 

 ing to push the other from its position. There was not room inside for 

 any one who did not wish to be pushed, so I stepped outside. The fun 

 continued about two minutes and ended in a hearty laugh, which closed 

 the scene for the afternoon. In the evening all dancing was carried on 

 in one-half of the house. A large fire was built in the center of that 

 half. At the end of the house I saw four of the heads adorned with 

 head-dresses of cloth strips which I had seen during the day. I sup- 

 pose they belonged to the first set of dancers. Their bodies lay prone 

 underneath the bed platform. Each one, held down by a single man, 

 kept his head constantly moving from side to side, and one groaned 

 most of the time. They evidently struggled to rise, and during the 

 evening one did get up, and it required two or three men to put him 

 down again. Most of the company were seated around the side walls. 

 Soon one man of the company arose, took a hollow wooden rattle, said 

 a few words, and walked around the fire, frequently makingsome motion 

 towards the men who were held down. Having gone around the fire 

 once or twice, he shook the rattle towards some one, whereupon ten or 

 fifteen men jumped up, ran around, threw their arms wildly about them, 

 bent down almost to the ground, and went through various antics ; at 

 times two or three would catch hold of each other and jump up and 

 down together; then one or two woul 1 seize the one with the rattle with 

 feigned violence and exertion, feigned, I suppose, because only once dur- 

 ing the evening did I see him brought to the ground, while he seemed 

 to make little etibrt to stand up. This would occupy about five minutes, 

 during which the music ceased not, when all would return to their seats, 

 and the leaders would lay down the rattle. Then another would take 

 the rattle, and the performance would be repeated, and this was kept 

 up for an hour or more. After this was done, two of those nearly naked 

 arose and danced the whole length of the house and back again, held 

 with the ropes around their waists as before, and accompanied by others; 

 then they were taken out with a great shout and, as I supposed, re- 

 leased. This done a company of half dozen men took one of those who 

 had been held down and slowly carried him outside where with a whoop 

 he was let go ; after him three others were taken out and released in a 

 similar manner, the whole act being accompanied with the usual music. 

 That ended the black tamanous scene as far as I know. By the next 

 day nearly all the black paint was washed from their faces, and I saw 

 but very little more of it during the potlatch. As far as I have learned 



