504 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



When tliey come to a house, they open the (h^or uiid iuvite the people, 

 the woDieii first, one of the inmates of tlie house prompting the 

 speaker. When they call the names, they stand in the door and strike 

 the threshold with their staffs." After the women, the hri'mats'a is 

 called, and then the other men, the que'quts'a last. Then the speaker 

 of these twelve men says,^ " Is that all ?" The people reply,'' " That is 

 all." Then they call a certain relative of the master of ceremonies who 

 has the name Ts'ix'ii'xtolsE'las.'' All the property given away by the 

 master of ceremonies is given in honor of this relative, who consequently 

 is of high rank. He or she receives this name anew every year. After 

 the messengers have called the peoi)le by their winter names, they are 

 not allowed to use their summer names again until the ceremonies are 



ended. 



By this time the people begin to ar- 

 range themselves in groups, which are 

 divided accordingto sex and age. These 

 take the place of the clans, as described 

 before. 



On the following morning before day- 

 light, the same twelve men visit all the 

 houses and call to everybody: "Don't 

 sleep! Go and bathe in the sea. We 

 are walking around again to call you."' 

 The people rise and at once plunge into 

 the sea, in order to clean themselves for 

 the qap'ek" or assembly, which is the for- 

 mal beginning of the winter ceremonial. 

 Then they go to the house of the mas- 

 ter of ceremonies, which is called the assembly house,'' The house has 

 been prepared for this purpose. A heavy cedar plank has been laid 

 along the rear wall of the house, and another one along each side. 

 These are used for beating time. The door is surrounded by a ring of 

 hemlock branches which is covered with eagle down, so that everyone 

 who steps into the house must pass through it. When passing through 

 it, the people turn to the left, step through it with the right foot first, 

 and then turn again. 



The members of the seal society^ do not enter the house, but assem- 

 ble in another house. During this day the i)eople sing and make merry 

 until after dark. Then the master of ceremonies rises and calls four 

 officers to go and invite the seal society. These offices are hereditary, 

 and the men who perform the ceremonies have certain names which 



Fin;. 154. 



CARVED HEAD USED IN THE T'O'XUiT DANCE. 



Height, 11 iuclies. 



IV A, No. 1349, Royal Ethnogr.iphiciil Museum, Tierliii. 

 Collectt'fl by A. .Tacobseii. 



1 They say, laqoisf'xai (follows the name). 



^LamaO wi'la? ■Laam wi'la. 



■•qa Ts'ix'ii'xtolsE'lasai'. 



"^Wii qofi'La'sxil qa s gig'iLt I'lax-'itaos. T.,a'iuKnoX qri"tsLstail'i. 



Wa, don't sloep, go to rrll iu tho water. Wo walk around back for you. 



♦'Qap'aya'tsr-. 

 'Mc'emooat. 



