342 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEI^M, 1895. 



Thus he owns 300 blankets, of which, however, he iimst repay 200 after 

 the hipse of a year. Ho loans the blankets out auioug- his friends, and 

 thus at the close of the year he may possess about 400 blankets. 



The next June he pays his debts (qoana') in a festival, at which all 

 the clans from whom he borrowed blankets are present. The festival 

 is generally held on the street or on an open place near the village. 

 Up to this time he is not allowed to take part in feasts. But now he 



may distribute proi)erty in order to obtain 

 a potlatch name (p'a'tsaxLiiye). This is 

 also called La/X'uit. 



At this time the father gives i\\) his seat 

 (Lfi'Xoc) in favor of his son. After the boy 

 has paid his debts, the chief calls all the 

 older members of the tribe to a council, in 

 which it is resolved that the boy is to re- 

 ceive his father's seat. The chief sends 

 his speaker to call the boy, and his clan go 

 out in company with the speaker. The 

 young man — for henceforth he will be 

 counted among the men — dresses with a 

 black headband and paints long vertical 

 stripes, one on each side of his face, run- 

 ning down from the outer corners of the 

 eyes. The stripes represent tears. He 

 gives a number of blankets to his friends, 

 who carry them into the house where the 

 council is being held. The speaker enters 

 first and announces his arrival. The 

 young man follows, and alter him enter 

 his friends, carrying blankets. He re- 

 mains standing in front of the fire, and 

 the chief announces to him that he is to 

 take his father's seat. Then the boy dis- 

 tributes his blankets among the other clans 

 and sells some for food, with which a feast 

 is prepared. His father gives up his seat 

 and takes his place among tlie old men 

 (Xo'matsciL). The blankets given away 

 at this feast are repaid with 100 x)er cent interest. In this manner the 

 young man continues to loan and to distribute blankets, and thus is able, 

 with due circumspection and foresight, to amass a fortune. Sometimes 

 it happens that the successor to a man's name (Lawu'lqame) already has 

 a name of his own. In all such cases (also when the name is acquired 

 by inheritance) the successor gives up his mime and his property to his 

 own successor. 



Possession of wealth is considered honorable, and it is the endeavor 

 of each Indian to acquire a fortune. But it is not as much the posses- 



Fig. 2. 



COPPER PLATE. 



De.sifrii in l>lack, showing a sea-nioiistec 

 with hear's liead ami forolegs and 

 hody of a kilhT whah;, which is indi- 

 cated \>y two pins helweeu the fore- 

 leg.s of the boar. 



Scale j\. 



IV A, No. 9ns, Royal Ethnograrliiial Museum, 

 Berlin. 



