THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 349 



many there were. He said: '^ There are 1,200 blankets in a pile here, 

 chiefs of all the tribes, wa, wa!" 



Kow Olsl'wit arose and said: "Thank you, Kwakiutl. Ycrily, I got 

 all I asked for in my speech and we Ma^malelecpila are pleased, 

 wa, wa!" 



Again Walas N^Emo'gwis arose and spoke: "Thank yon, Owaxa'- 

 lag-ilis, thank you, Chief. It will not be my desire if all the chiefs of 

 my tribe ask for more blankets. I am satisfied." ]S^ow he turned to 

 his tribe and said : " >^ow we must speak, my tribe. Arise, G-e'g-EsLEn. 

 Speak, Chief! Speak more strongly." 



Then G-e'g-ESLEn arose and said: " How nice it is, tribes! I thank 

 you for your words, Owaxa'lag-ilis. Yes, Chiefs, that is our way, to 

 which you must conform. You were not provident when you resolved 

 to buy this great copper. My heart is well inclined toward you. Chief I 

 You have not finished; you will give more. The price of tlie copper 

 must correspond to my greatness, and I ask forty times ten blankets, 

 that is 400 blankets more, Chief. That is what I mean, forty. Wa, 

 Chief. I shall not speak again if I get what I ask from you." Then he 

 turned to his own tribe. "Chief Walas NEmo'gwis, I have done what 

 you asked of me. You asked me to speak strongly to that chief, wa, wa !" 



Then Owaxa'lag-ilis arose and spoke, lie said: "Yes, Chief, your 

 speech was good. You have no pity. Have you finished now asking 

 for more, if I am willing to give your chief 400 blankets 7uore ? Answer 

 me now!" Now G-e'g-EsLEu spoke: "I shall not try to speak again." 

 Owaxa'lag'ilis sent two young men. They l)rought the blankets and 

 put them down. Again Ma'Xua took the blankets and spoke: 



" Ya, tribes ! Do you see now our way of buying ? The Kwakiutl, my 

 tribe, are strong when they buy coppers. They are not like you. You 

 always bring the canoes and the button blankets right away. Now 

 there are 1,000 blankets in this pile that I carry here." He turned to 

 the Kwakiutl and said: "That is what I say, Chiefs of the Kwakiutl, 

 to those who do not know how to buy coi)pers. Now 1 begin again." He 

 counted tlie blankets and went on in the same way as before. As soon 

 as ten pairs of blankets were counted, tliey said aloud, "ten pairs," and 

 the counters said aloud how many tens of blankets had been counted. 

 When he had counted all, Ma'Xua spoke: "Wa, wa! Now I say to 

 you, chiefs of all the tribes, it is really enough ! I have pity upon my 

 chief. That is what I say, chiefs." 



Then ( )waxa/]ag-ilis arose and spoke: " Wa, wa! I say it is enough, 

 Ma'maleleqala. Now you have seen my name. This is my name; this 

 is the weight of my name. This mountain of blankets rises through 

 our heaven. My name is the name of the Kwakiutl, and you can not do 

 as we do, tribes. When you do it, you finish Just as soon as you reach 

 the 1,000 blankets. Now, look out! later on I shall ask you to buy 

 from me. Tribes! I do not look ahead to the time when j'ou will buy 

 from me. My chiefs! that is what I say, O'tsT'Stalis: that is what I 



