THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. * 561 



bit anyone, but when he threw the second time two young Na'q'oaqtdq 

 rushed forward, blood pouring out of their mouths. After some con- 

 tortions they lay there dead. The man who had accompanied the 

 ma'maq'a's dance with his rattle was acting as though the stick had 

 entered his throat and was suftbcatiug him. As soon as the ma'maq'a 

 had thrown the second time, he disappeared in the secret room in the 

 rear of the house. Soon he reappeared, singing over the dead, who 

 were carried into the secret room. Shamans were called, who sang over 

 them and cried "hoip," while the ma'maq'a danced a third and a fourth 

 time, catching and throwing his stick, without, however, hitting anyone. 

 This was the end of the ceremony. 



November 22. — In the morning the Koskimo held a secret meeting, 

 at which it was decided that Q'e'q'anqoala was to show the dance 

 Ba'baqoayuL (soul catcher). In this dance, which will be found 

 described on page 575, the dancer pretends to capture the soul of 

 one of the audience; but a certain amount of property is made to 

 symbolize the soul. When therefore a dancer catches a soul, it means 

 that he takes away from the owner a certain amount of property, which 

 is to be distributed among the guests. Therefore the speaker asked at 

 this meeting: "Q'e'q'anqoala is going to show his dance. I want to 

 know if anyone wants him to catch his soul." Whoever intended to dis- 

 tribute blankets offered his soul, saying: " Q'e'q'anqoala, catch my soul, 

 for I want to give away blankets to our rivals." The speaker thanked 

 them for their^offer. The soul is represented in the dance by a small 

 ball of eagle down, which is attached to a string. A.s many balls are 

 attached to the string at equal distances as there are men who offered 

 their souls to be captured. 



In the afternoon the Kwakiutl held a meeting at the assembly place 

 in the woods, in which they laid out the plan for the kuG'xalak ", which 

 was to take place on the same evening. The Koskimo intended to have 

 a festival on the same day, but finally gave it up on account of the one 

 to be held by the Kwakiutl. The people assembled in the evening. 

 The Kwakiutl sat in the rear of the house — the Koskimo on the right 

 hand side on entering, the Nfi/q'oaqtoq on the left hand side on enter- 

 ing. The last to enter were the members of the seal society, who 

 took their seats in the last row in the rear of the house. The singers 

 sat in front of them, while the old chiefs occupied the front row. When 

 all had assembled, the speaker of the Kwakiutl arose and said: " Wel- 

 come, friends, on both sides of the house. We are all in our dancing 

 house." And turning to the members of the seal society: "Do not 

 go too soon, great friends." Now turning to the Kwakiutl, he said: 

 "Now be ready with your batons."' As soon as he had finished his 



^ Wii! qe'lag'a Wii'waxsotewalTi. iH'iiEmo'k". G'a'xmsns wc'ltso la'xKns 

 Oh ! come on both sides in the house, friends. We all inside in our 



ts'iuj'atsex. K*'S'sLE8 pak'Ti'laLoL neuEiiir>kt8r''k*as. Wii ya'LawiLdi, 



dancing house. Not you you hasten to go, great friends. Oh! take care in the house 



nos nenEmo'k" qa s daxLil'liLalag-aos saxs t'a'miayiiqos. 

 my friends and you take at their your batons, 



ends 

 NAT MUS 95 3G 



