THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 545 



1895-9G. At tliJit time three tribes Lad iissembled at Fort Eui)ert 

 (Tsil/xis) — tbe Kwakiutl, the Koskimo, and Na'q'oaqtoq. Tbe Kos- 

 kimo included also the G-d'p'enox, L'a'sq'enox, and Gua'ts'enox, I 

 reached Fort Eupert on November 15, 1895, and shall record here what 

 I saw. 



On the 16th of November one of the ISTfi'q'oaqtoq gave a feast. The 

 Kwakiutl had their seats in the rear of the house, the Koskimo at the 

 right hand side, the Na'q'oaqtoq on the left hand side. When all had 

 assembled, the chief speaker of the Kil'q'oaqtoq said: ''Welcome, 

 friends. Now that you have all come in, take the handles of your 

 batons and sing.'" Then the batons were distributed. Planks were 

 laid for beating time. While the people were still coming in, one of 

 the que/tsEui (que'qutsaj began to tease a fool dancer, who intended 

 to give up his dance and to become a que'qutsa. He pulled his nose, 

 rubbed it with snow, and threw snowballs at it. As stated before, 

 the fool dancer is supposed to have a long nose, and to resent all allu- 

 sions to the nose. He does not allow it to be touched. The quc'qutsa 

 tried in this manner to excite him so as to prevent him from leaving 

 the seal society and becoming a que/qutsa. Finally, a number of 

 quc'qutsa joined the first que/tsEm. They pulled the nose of the fool 

 dancer, spat on it, and smeared it with grease, notwithstanding his 

 endeavors to escape them. Finally, they tied him to one of the house 

 posts and continued to maltreat his nose. Now the Kwakiutl sang 

 two songs. They were followed by the Koskimo, who sang two songs 

 in their turn. Meanwhile the meal, which consisted of soap- berries, 

 had been prepared, and the speaker held u]> a dish which was intended 

 for tlie iirst hiVmats'a. He shouted: "This is the dish of Yaqois."^ 

 The dish was carried to him. The members of the seal society re- 

 ceived their shares in order, next the women, and finally the que'- 

 qutsa. Now the host turned to the fool dancer who was tied to the 

 post, and wliom the people were teasing again. He said: "I will ask 

 your friends to stay at their x)liices for a little while because I am 

 cooking for you, and wish to feed you." Then several of the fool dan- 

 cers came to his assistance. They licked the grease off from his nose, 

 untied him, and took him back to his seat. As soon as the dishes were 

 distributed, the host's assistants began to prejiare the second course, 

 which consisted of rice. While the people were eating, the different 

 societies uttered their cries: 



"The hens are pecking!"-' 



"The great seals keep on chewing."'' 



' Gr'axmEns nenEmo'k" ■wri'IaeLela. Wai'g*a d'axLaliLaxs t'a'miayn <p s 

 We came friends all in the house. Go on ! take at the handle the batons for to 



lfi/g*ustaIag-ao8, nenEino'k". 

 go upward (sing), friends. 



^Lo'qulas Ya'qois. 

 ^lEULa'Lg'a qaqaqatV. 



■* Ya'laLxoLax" qamk'oaLg-a mi-'emkoatse'k' 

 NAT MUS 95 35 



