THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 



•511 



Then lie swings the rattle in a wide circle, thus giving- a signal for the 

 jieople to stop. During the following minutes not a sound is heard 

 except from the shamans, who utterfrom time to time the sound "h,h," 

 deep from the throat. Tliis means that they are watching to see if the 

 people make a mistake or transgress any of the rules. After about ten 

 minutes the master of ceremonies gives a new signal for the people to beat 

 the boards. After ten minutes more they stop again. Then everyone 



Fij;. 162. 



HEAD KING, NECK RING, AND WHISTLE OF TS'E'K'OIS. 



IV A, Xi>s. 68>i(l aud C8M, Royal Ethnographical Museum, Bcrliii. Collected hy F. Boas. 



begins to sing his own secret song, all at the same time, which is a sign 

 that the sx)irit of the winter dance has entered the house. Then all the 

 que'qutsa divide according to their societies. 



After this the master of ceremonies gives another signal and all the 

 men begin to beat the boards again as hard as possible and at the same 

 time the bear dancers utter their cries. The fool dan(;ers are heard to cry 

 "wai! hai! hai!" throwing stones and swinging their swords and lances 

 at the same time. The master of ceremonies gives a new signal, and 

 all the people stop at once beat- 

 ing the boards. Then the bear 

 dancers and fool dancers look 

 down, and all the que'qutsa 

 sing again each their own se- 

 cret song. When the master 

 of ceremonies gives the fourth 

 signal for beating the boards, 

 the whistles of the ha/mats'as 

 are heard in the house. Then 

 all the ha'mats'as, bears, and fool dancers rise and drive the people 

 before them. While they are doing so they take hold of a child of 

 the second ye'wix-ila; the child drops his cedar bark ornaments and 

 blankets and disappears in the woods. Then the members of the 

 seal society go out of the house followed by the people. Now the 

 second ye'wix-ila cleans his house and invites all the people to 

 enter. He puts down boards in front of the i)eople and distributes 



I'ig. 163. 



HEAD RING OF Sl'LIS. 



Front and rear views. 



IV A, No. 6873, Royal Ethnographical Museum, Berlin. Collected by 

 F. Boas. 



