5G6 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



and became excited at once, crying "bap, bap, bap." Tbe fool dan- 

 cers and tbe bears joined him. Tbe ba'mats'a rusbed down into the 

 middle of tbe bouse, tbe fool dancers struck and stabbed tbe people 

 and pelted tbem witb stones, and tbe bears scratclied tbem. Tbe great- 

 est excitement prevailed. After a very sbort time the members of the 

 secret societies of tlie other tribes became excited too. Tbe ha'mats'a 

 of tbe Koskimo jumped up trembling and crying "bap, bap." Tbe 

 Na'q'oaqtoq ha/mats'a followed, and so did tbe pa'xala, who jumped 

 about tbe fire squatting and crying " mamamamamama," which is tbe cry 

 of tbe ghosts. He took burning coals and firebrands and threw tbem 

 among the people. Tlie women ran screaming into tbe bedrooms. 

 The Koskimo accompanied their ha/mats'a out of tbe bouse, and the 

 Na'q'oaqtoq were driven out by their ha'mats'a. While this was going 

 OD, some of the Kwakiutl were trying to rearrange the fire. According 

 to the rules, the members of the seal society ought to have broken the 

 right-hand side of the house first, the left band side next, and ought 

 to have driven out tbe people in this manner, the ha'mats'a biting 

 the people, the fool dancers striking, and the bear dancers scratching 

 them. But it seems that there was some misunderstanding in this 

 case, and the bouse was not broken, although tbe excitement which 

 l)revailed was very great. While the Kwakiutl were trying to rear- 

 range the fire, T'et'esumx-tsana, uncle of the Na'q'oaqtoq pa'xala, ran 

 around tbe fire shouting "naualakwai'!"' drawing tbe word out as long 

 as bis breath would allow. As tbe people left the house, the noise 

 subsided, although the members of tbe seal society continued to rave 

 in tbe house. 



After a while the Koskimo returned into tbe dancing bouse, four 

 men going first, each carrying a staff" held in a horizontal position, and 

 each singing bis own song. 



They were Wina'Iag'iiis. They led a young girl, who wore a bead 

 ring. She was just initiated into a secret society.^ Then two of tbe 

 speakers spoke at tbe same time. So far as it was possible to make 

 out what they said,. they spoke about as follows: "This girl has been 

 tbe game of Wina'lag-ilis, who is hunting novices." They led her 

 around the fire once and guided her behind tbe curtain. While she 

 was going around the fire, tbe Na'q'oaqtoq pa'xala pointed his staff" 

 at tbe Koskimo. This, it is said, meant that he would kill tbem if 

 they did not bring a novice. 



Now tbe Na'q'oaqtoq entered, first a ha'mats'a and two t'o'X'uit, 

 who lield each other by the hand. When they came, tbe pa'xala, who 

 was all the time standing witb bent knees, dropped down still lower. 

 Next, two ma'maq'as entered carrying a dead child in their arms. 

 T'o'pewa, speaker of tbe Na'q'oaqtoq said: "Na'q'oaqtoq and Kos- 



' Spirit of the winter dauce. 



^Peoplewho are iuitiated for the first time are called wa'tanEm. After they have 

 been wa'tanEm four times they become members of the higher societies, the la'xsS.. 



