582 EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



With this the festival ended, and the people went home. It was 

 about 1 a. m. when the calico was distributed. 



About 7 p. m., November 23,Ho'LElite sent two messengers, NdLElag-- 

 ilis and KuLE'm, to call all the men of the Kwakiutl tribe to a secret 

 meeting to be held in his house. The messengers went into all the 

 houses and called the Kwakiutl, whispering into their ears. They 

 slipped out at once and went to Hcl'LElite's house. Great care was 

 taken that the Na'q'oaqtoq and Koskimo should not know what was 

 going on. As soon as the men were assembled, Ho'LElite arose and 

 spoke: "Indeed, friends, you have gratified my wishes, for you all 

 have come as soon as I sent for you. I am glad that you are keeping 

 the laws that were handed down to us from the times of our grand- 

 fathers. You will have observed that the Koskimo are likely to beat 

 us in our war with property. Therefore I ask you not to be asleei^, 

 else the Koskimo will surely walk right over us, friends! Wake uj) 

 and open your eyes. Do not let the wealth of our rivals blind you. 

 Our ancestors have never been vanquished. I do not want to see the 

 Koskimo vanquish us now. I have called you in order to inform you 

 that my chief Se'g-ag'ila is going to give a winter dance, and I will ask 

 you, my friends, how we shall begin it. I want you to decide in regard 

 to the manner of beginning the ceremonial. That is what I wanted to 

 say to you, wa, wa." 



The men remained silent for about twenty minutes. Then Nu'xnemis, 

 the chief of the winter dance of the Kue'xa, arose and said: "Indeed, 

 Ho'LElite, you are always keeping the rules laid down in the times of 

 our ancestors, for instead of beginning the ceremonial without notify- 

 ing us, as others might do, you tell us of your plans and secrets as our 

 forefathers used to do; and that is the right way." Then he turned to 

 his own tribe the Kuc'xa and said : "Don't you feel glad that my friend 

 Ho'LElite, the great magician, was kind enough not to keep his secrets, 

 but let us share them? You also, La'mg-ala, ought to feel proud that 

 he invited us to know of his plans. Do you not think that it would 

 be best if the clothing of Winfi'lag-ilis were brought out by this secret 

 meeting? You all know what I mean. The clothing of Wlnfi'lag-ilis 

 consists of hemlock branches, and his play is AmE'lk" or NfiLanfiLdEls. 

 The AmE'lk" must be shown at daybreak, and the NuLanuLdEls may 

 be shown at any time of the day. I think it would be best to surprise 

 our rivals, the Koskimo. Let us call all the men and women before 

 daybreak to morrow and go to the meeting place which our forefiitheis 

 used for the AmE'lk". You all know the rules of the AmE'lk". That 

 is all. Now I have finished." 



Then Ho'LElite replied: "Thank you, my friends. Thank you, 

 Nu'xnemis, for what you said. You are the only one who wants to 

 keep the rules that were given to us by our ancestors. Friends, I want 

 to ask you one favor: Arise before daylight. Tell me now if you are 

 willing to do so and to follow our fiiend Nu'xnemis's advice. Let the 



