574 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



The ha/mats'a was dancing still more quietly, first to the right and 

 then to the left in the rear of the house, then around the fire. In front 

 of the fire he squatted down, crying "hap." His attendants gathered 

 around him and shook their rattles, crying "hoip." Then, with the 

 beginning of the next line of the song, he continued his dance, and 

 after four circuits he disappeared behind the curtain which was 

 stretched in the left-hand rear corner of the house. 



Then Ma'a, who was still standing near the door with his two com- 

 panions, spoke: "Friends on the other side of the house! Now our 

 great friend is pacified." While he was speaking, Ko'kwiLala, the 

 helper in the winter dance, swept the floor with hemlock twigs, in 

 order to prepare it for the following dances. 



Then A'Labala, who was standing in the right-hand rear corner of 

 the house, spoke : " Take care, friends on the other side of the house. 

 Watch my customs, for they were given to my tribe, the Koskimo, and 

 to the L'a'sq'enox and G'o'p'enox, and to you Gua'ts'enox, by the 

 Maker of the world. Your customs, friends on the other side of the 

 house, differ from ours. They were given to you. I am glad to see 

 that you as well as we are observing our old laws. Now Tabala, 

 Ha'nk-ala, Tsa'xis, and LoXuals, go and fetch our chiefs blankets." 



The four men left the house, and soon they returned carrying the 

 blankets. G*a'sa took one pair and said: " Ho'LElite and Nu'xnemis, 

 look at these blankets. That is the power of our winter dance. The 

 ha'mats'a who just finished dancing is Ya'xyak*a'lag*ilis, and these 

 blankets will be given away in honor of his name and of his dance." 

 Then he gave the first blanket to Ya'qois, the chief ha'mats'a of the 

 Kwakiutl, and then to the other men in order. When all were dis- 

 tributed, Ho'LElite spoke : " Friends, did you hear what G*a'sa said ? 

 Everything he said is true, except one remark, in which he is mis- 

 taken. You said that your customs in regard to dances and festivals 

 differ from ours ; remember, we are all of the same name. That is all. 

 Thank you for this red cedar bark that you gave us (meaning the 

 blanket). Now 1 have finished." 



Then Qoa'qoaxst'ala walked around the fire, apparently without any 

 purpose, but in fact as a signal for the dancers, who were standing out 

 side the house, to enter. The door flung open, Ma'a, G-a'loiL and 

 G-a'sa, who remained standing near the door, gave a signal to the 

 singers, who began to beat time very rapidly. A song was heard out- 

 side the house, and now a dancer, K'ue'daqala by name, entered with 

 quick, short steps, his hands stretched backward under his blanket, 

 his face blackened. He was both ma'maq'a and ha'mshamtsEs. As 

 soon as he had come to the rear of the house, the singers ceased beat- 

 ing the boards. Ma'a said : " Thank you, friend, for coming to this 

 dance." 



Then G'a'loiL gave another signal, and a female dancer, T'e'La by 

 name, entered, her hands stretched forward. Again the singers stopped 



