484 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



are given their proper shape by means of steaming'. As the song pro- 

 ceeds, the dancer jumps down from the roof to the top of the bedrooms 

 in the rear of the house, and from there to the Hoor. He holds his 

 hands close to the back of his thighs and runs with short steps around 

 the fire. 



Here is a song of Ma'tEm. 



1. I was takeu to tlie foot of the ([luirtz iiioiiiitain. 



2. I was taken to the foot of tlie iiiomitain from where the quartz came rolling down 



to me. 



3. It Hew with me and took me to the end of the world, the cloud, the child of Ma'tEm. 



The following song of the clan Ts'e'- 

 ts'eLOiilaqame, the origin of Avhich is 

 derived from a tradition, is said to refer 

 partly to Ma'tEm, although the connec- 

 tion has not become clear to me. 



1. I will tell abont olden times. Long ago 

 Wiua'lag'ilis took me to see the thing upon 

 which he was blowing water. 



2. Therefore I tell with a loud voice: Long ago 

 Wina'lag'ilis took me to see the thing upon 

 which he was blowing water. 



NA'XNAK-AQEML AND ME'ILA. 



Two dances derive their origin from 

 the heavens, — the Na'xnak'aqEmL and 

 Me'iLa. I have already told the legend 

 of both (p. 413). The Me'iLa dance and 

 the ornaments of the dancer are sliown 

 in riate 38 and fig. 141) (p. 501). His club 

 (kuc'xayu), the gift which he received 

 in heaven, represents the si'siuL. His 

 cedar bark ornament is niade of red and 

 wliite cedar bark. The large flat attach- 

 ments in front represent the Tleiades. 

 He carries in place of a rattle a small 

 clapper (fig. 150, p. 50L>). 

 The Na'xnak-aqEmL wears an immense nnisk, the mouth of which is 

 made so that it can o])eu wide. Therefore it is also called ha'x-ila(iam 

 (the yawning face). The opening mouth means that the day is yawning 

 when the dawn appears. A mask of this kind was among the collec- 

 tions at the World's Columbian Exposition, and has been transferred 

 to tlie Field Columbian Museum. The song belonging to this mask is 

 as follows:^ 



1. You will arise, you who you are known all through the world. 



2. You will arise, you who you are famous all through the world. 



3. You will arise; before you sinks down your rival. 



4. It is said that I buy food for my feast even from my rival. 



Fig. 129. 



FIKST HEAD KING OF NENALAATS'EqA. 



Koskimo. 



Cat. No. 175494, U. S. N. M. Collected by F. Boas. 



'Appendix, page 714. 



