THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 589 



that again, for you are keeping them well." While he was saying so, 

 some of the old i)eople remarked: "Yes; it is true." And he con- 

 cluded : " I know we are glad today. Now eat, for our chiefs food is 

 sweet." 



Now the people ate, and when they had finished, most of them went 

 home. The ha'mats'a's whistles were heard during this time in his 

 room. 



About 2 p. m. the people came to fetch blankets, which were to be 

 given away in honor of Ya'qois, in payment of his last ecstasy. When 

 the blankets were being brought into the house, the tally keeper of the 

 G'o'p'enox came in to look after the proper distribution of the blan- 

 kets. He gave the names of the clans and tlie number of blankets which 

 were to be given to each name in each clan. The blankets were 

 arranged in such a manner that those intended for each clan were laid 

 in the same direction, while those of the next clan were placed cross- 

 wise on top of the preceding lot. Wherever a man was to receive 

 blankets who still owed some to the giver, a number of sticks corre- 

 sponding to the number of blankets due were ijlaced in the pile, which 

 were given to the debtor as canceling tbe debt, according to the num- 

 ber of sticks. After the pile intended for tbe G-d'p'enox was arranged, 

 the tally keepers of the other tribes came in and looked after the blan- 

 kets whu'h were to be given to them. In the evening a feast was given, 

 tbe blankets were distributed, and shortly after the beginning of the 

 feast the ha'mats'a Ya'qois came in and danced three times; the first 

 and the second time in a squatting position with an ordinary blanket, 

 but the third and fourth time in a standing position and wearing a 

 Chilcat blanket. As everybody was tired on account of the long cere- 

 monies of the preceding nights, the feast closed early. 



November 2i>. — Early in the morning T'd'kuiL, chief ot the Koskimo, 

 sent his two speakers, A'Labala and WalkaLtsEmt, to the chiefs of the 

 Kwakiutl, to inform them that on this day the Koskimo intended to 

 perform their ceremonies, and requesting them to postpone their festi- 

 vals to another day. They also asked them to keep the matter a secret 

 from the yonng men. At the same time the speakers invited the 

 Koskimo to come quietly to the house of their chief. At 8 o'clock they 

 were assembled. Then a ha'niats'a was placed at the entrance, in order 

 to prevent outsiders from coming in, and members of the tribe from leav- 

 ing the honse. A'Labala, the first speaker of the Koskimo, arose and 

 spoke in a low voice so that he could not be heard outside the house: 



"Koskimo, y(m have assembled in the dancing house of our grand- 

 fathers. Thank you, friends, for having followed the first call of our 

 chief T'o'kuiL. Listen to me, men, women, and children! You have 

 the largest cedar bark in the whole world, and you keep the laws of 

 your grandfathers more strictly than anyone else. We have two chiefs 

 in our tribe, and therefore we can not be vanquished in our strife with 

 property. Look out ! Do not let the Kwakiutl vanquish you, for they 



