THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 



489 



be carried all throagli the house by the woman who is moving under- 

 ground. He is plowing the floor with his arms. This is done by bury- 

 ing a stout ro[)e about S in(;hes below the surface and covering it with 

 loose dirt. The man pulls himself along this rope (see p. G()4). 



Still other t'o'X'uit invite the people to kill them. The dancer says 

 "hu]>, hap," moving the edge of her palm along her throat, meaning, 

 ''Cut my neck!" or she moves the tips of the fingers of both hands 

 down her stomach, meaning "Open my belly!" or she moves them 

 along her head, shoulders, or other parts of her body. Finally, she is 

 l)]aced on a seat behind the fire and one of her attendants complies 

 with her request. He will appear to drive a wedge through her head 

 from one temple to the other. The wedge is first shown to the people 

 and then secretly exchanged for another one, which consists of two 

 parts attached to a wooden band that is slipped over her head and 

 covered with hair. Tlius it seems that the butt is standing out on one 





Fig. 135. 



MASK OF HA''MAA. 



Length, 31 inches. 



rV A, No. 6879, Royal Ethiiograiihii-al Museum, Berlin. Collerted by F. I!nas. 



side, the point having passed through her skull. At the same time 

 bladders containing blood, which are attached to the band, are burst, 

 and the blood is seen to flow down her face. She also bites her cheeks 

 or bursts a small bag containing blood which she holds in her mouth, 

 ■ so that it flows out of her mouth. A i)air of seal's eyes are hidden in 

 her hair and let down over her own eyes when the wedge is driven in, 

 so that it looks as though her eyes were coming out of their sockets. 

 Then she rises and walks around the fire to show the wedge sticking in 

 her head. After one circuit she is seated again, the wedge is removed, 

 and she is hale and sound. On other occasions the head or shoulder 

 is struck with a paddle which seems to split it, and on being with- 

 drawn leaves a bloody line, which looks like a wound. In this case the 

 paddle is secretly exchanged for another one which is so notched as to 

 fit her head or shoulder. Slie walks around the tire showing it, and 

 then it is removed. 



Other t'o'X'uit rec^uest their attendants to kill them with a spear. 



