568 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



suddeu on tbe beach west of the vilkige, but soon lie disappeared again. 

 Then the Koskimo walked behind the village, where the "breathing 

 hole" of the ha'mats'a is supposed to be. During this time he is believed 

 to be in the underworld. They went behind the village, thinking that 

 he might come up from underground. About 11a. m., a man who had 

 gone into the woods west of the village to gather alder bark, was 

 attacked by the ha'mats'a of the Koskimo. In order to save himself 

 from the attack, he ran into the sea and walked home in the salt water, 

 pursued by the ha/mats'a. His cries soon attracted the attention of 

 the people. They ran up to the ha'mats'a and surrounded him. He 

 was naked, except that he wore a head and neck ring of hemlock 

 branches and a belt and apron of the same material. 



After he had been caught, the Koskimo 'sat down, and the song maker 

 taught them his new songs. After they had learned the songs, they 

 arose. The men took a long plank and beat time on it, while one was 

 carrying the skin drum. They sang the first two of the new songs. 

 The women went ahead, dancing in honor of the ha'mats'a, who was 

 dancing in a squatting position. Thus they approached the village 

 slowly, going along the beach. 



Finally they entered the dancing house, where the ha'mats'a danced, 

 accompanied by the first and second songs. Then he disappeared in 

 his bedroom with his attendants. 



Now Lo'Xoaxstaak" arose and said : " Now, friends, I will ask you 

 to help me and dance to-night with the new ha'mats'a which was given 

 to you, Toqoamalis, chief of the Koskimo, by the giver of the winter 

 ceremonial. I follow his law. All the ha'mats'as shall dance with our 

 new ha'mats'a, I do not know yet what his name is going to be. I ask 

 you, Ts'a'qoalag-ilis; and you, Ta'nisk'aso; and you, Qoa'ts'amya; and 

 you, LemElxa'lag'ilis; and you,Na'noqois; and you,WeqoamiLa'lag'ilis. 

 Now you all must go and wash in the water of BaxbakualanuXsi'wae 

 and put on the dress of the BaxbakufdanuXsi'wae. That is all." 



Then To'qoamalis arose and said: " O my children. I am glad to see 

 that you are obeying the laws that were given to our ancestors. You 

 know that if we make a mistake in this ceremonial, it means that our 

 lives will be cut short. When I was a young man, I have seen my 

 grandfather kill a man who broke the rules of the red cedar bark. 

 Thus I tell you A'Labala, and you Lo'Xoaxstaak". That is all." 



Most of the i)eople now left the dancing house. All day whistles 

 were heard proceeding from the room of the ha'mats'a. The people 

 prepared for the dance that was to be celebrated that night. 



The members of the seal society of the Kwakiutl had remained 

 in their dancing house since the preceding night. They were not 

 allowed to leave it until the approaching k-ik-i'lnala. The fool 

 dancers and bears however, were sent out every now and then to 

 get food. At other times they ran out of the house with their lances 

 and struck and scratched the i)eople or threw stones at them. Some- 



