456 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



size of the ring is said to signify the waning of the moon. When the 

 ha'mats'a retnrns, a bloody line runs over his face, beginning on the 

 cheeks, curving up toward the nose, which it crosses in its upper por- 

 tion. It is said to designate the moon. The line is made by rubbing 

 the face with doglish skin. It is said that this line indicates the efiect 

 of Wina'lag'ilis's canoe, which rubbed against the face of the novice. 



Each ha'mats'a has eight songs of his own, which are composed for 

 him by the na'qate at the time of his return from the woods, and are 

 sung whenever he dances. 



A young man who first becomes a member of a secret society can not 

 join the ha'mats'a until after a number of years. For seven years he 

 must have been a member of societies of lower rank. Then in the 



eighth year he may become a 

 ha'mats'a. 



The ha'matsa's first initia- 

 tion is called g*i'yak-ila. 

 After four seasons he may be 

 given another ha'mats'a by 

 his father. This is called ta. 

 After he has been initiated 

 four times (yuduXp'Ena ta — 

 three times gone into it), he 

 may leave the ranks of the 

 ha'mats'a and become a que'- 

 qutsa. This is called "lock- 

 ing the whistles into the box." 

 This is accomplished in the 

 following way: Whenthemas- 

 ter of ceremonies assembles 

 all the people (qap'e'k", see p. 

 502), all the ha'mats'as stand 

 up; then the one who desires to join the que'qutsa says: ^ "I will not 

 stand up before you. I want to be que'qutsa." He is asked why he 

 desires to do so, but only replies:^ "I have finished being hfi'mats'a." 

 Then the people reply : ^ " Let your whistles be quiet," and he says :* '^ I 

 will keep my whistles quiet." The same statements must be made by 

 other members -of the seal society who desire to become que'qutsa. 



On the following day the master of ceremonies sends his messengers 

 to invite to the qap'e'k". The man who desires to become a que'qutsa 



Fig. 91 . 



NECK EING OF XA'NIATS'AMG-ILAKD. 



Cat. No. 175493, U. S. N. M. Collected by F. Boas. 



' K"'e'8LEn La'x'uiL. 

 Not I stand in house. 



Que'quatsaLLEn. 

 I shall he que'qutsa. 



^La'mEu qouL ha'mats'a. 

 I have finished ha'mats'a. 



'Alag'a ama awi'laLEx qask-'e/s'aos q'oa'tseowiL. 



Really strong (real) not you cry inside. 



■•Qii'LaLEn k-'exEn q'ori'tsf'owiL. 

 I will not I cry inside (whistles). 



