THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 351 



Bring now the 1,000 blankets for wliicli Chief Ya/qaLEulis asked, \va, 

 wa! That is what I say, Ma'maleleqala, wa!" 



Now Owaxa'hig-ilis sent the young men to bring these 1,000 blankets. 

 They brought them and Ma/Xua arose. He counted the blankets and 

 called out every ten pairs. Then he made a speech: ''Yal tribes, 

 have all the blankets here been counted?" The people'replied, "Yes, 

 yes. Do not maintain. Chief, tliat we lost run of the number of blan- 

 kets." Then Ma'Xua coutinued: "There are 2,600 blankets. lama 

 Maa'mtag-ila, whose strength appears when they buy coppers. Take 

 care, Chief Owaxa/lag-ilis, else we shall be laughed at. Do not give in ! 

 Do not weaken, else you will not get that copper." 



Then O waxa'lag-ilis arose and spoke : " Your words are good, Ma'Xua- 

 It is good that you strengthen my heart. Now speak, Walas XEmo'- 

 gwis! Speak, Chief, and tell me your wishes, else I shall he too much 

 troubled. Xow say your price and I will take it. That is what I say, 

 Wa/kidis; that is what I say, Tsopa'lis, wa, wa!" 



Owaxa'lag-ilis sat down, and the tribes were silent. Xobody spoke, 

 and Walas XEmo'gwis lay down on his back, covering his face with 

 his blanket. For a long time nobody among all the men spoke. Then 

 Ycqdk'ua/lag'ilis, the younger brother of Walas XEmO'gwis, arose and 

 said: "Chiefs of the Kwakiutl, 1 know what makes my brother here 

 sad. Try, chiefs, that your speech may please the heart of my chief 

 here. That is what I say, chiefs of the Ma'maleleqala, Wa, wa!" 



Then Ha'mts'it arose and spoke: "Kwakiutl, I am afraid of the way 

 in which my chief here is acting. He is making us asleep and all the 

 tribes are asleep. That is always the way of the great chief. Xow, 

 Owaxa/lag'ills, try to please him ! " 



Then Owaxa/lag-ilis arose and said: "Ha'mts'it! you said enough. 

 Too many are your words. Let only him speak who knows how to buy 

 that copper, Walas XEmo'gwts ! Do not let these children speak. That 

 is what I say, Kwakiutl, Wa, wa! Xow look about in my house, if you 

 find something to please the heart of this chief. Go ! young men.'^ 

 They went, and soon they came back carrying blankets, which they 

 put down. Owaxa/lag'ilis arose at once and asked the young men 

 how many blankets they had brought. They replied: "Six hundred 

 blankets." He continued: "Is it true what you said? Xow, chiefs of 

 the Kwakiutl, I thank you for your words. Ma'Xua! Chief! count 

 them ! " Ma'Xua arose and counted the blankets. Then he said : " Ya ! 

 tribes, have you counted these blankets, also ? There are now 3,200. 

 Look out ! chiefs of the tribes ! for I shall ask you to buy our coppers 

 also! That is what I say, XEg-e'; that is what I say, E'wanuXts'e, 

 wa, wa! that is what I say, chiefs of the Kwakiutl, wa, wa!" 



Xow Walas XEmd'gwis arose and said: "Xow take care, Ma' male - 

 leqala ! Xow, I take that price for our copper. Xow give the boxes 

 into which we may put the blankets. We need 50 boxes, and each 

 will be worth 5 pairs of blankets." 



Then Owaxa'lag-ilis arose and spoke : " Thank you, Walas XEmo'gwis, 



