50O REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



are few only. See, how many you are ! There are enough Koskimo in 

 this house to till the seats all around the walls. The Kwakiutl could 

 not till one-half of the seats in this house. Therefore they can not 

 van(|uish us. Take care, friends ! As I said before, we have a good 

 tradition to follow. Therefore we can afford to laugh at them. The 

 Kwakiutl say that we have no tradition, but our chief T'O'kuiL, who is 

 going to give the ceremonial, belongs to the family of G'c'xdEn. You 

 know that he had a ha'mats'a whose name was Nauayolis (the only 

 one in the middle of the world). Who has a name as great as that? 

 And if 1 should mention all the traditions and the great names of 

 our grandfathers, the people would run into the woods, for they have 

 no names like ours. Therefore, take care, friends! It is not my office 

 to let you know the plans of our chief. I have said enougli.'' 



All were quiet for about half an hour. Then To'qoamalis, the chief 

 keeper of the red cedar bark of the Koskimo, arose. He looked up to 

 the roof and down to the tioor, and then said: 



"A'Labala, your words are true. You have seen part of my younger 

 days, for you have seen my father. But you have not seen my grand- 

 father. I have seen liim. His rules were strict, but those of my lather 

 were a little less rigid. Our rules of the winter dance are nuich less 

 strict than those of olden times. Thank you, A'Labala, for your speech. 

 I paid close attention and found that you did not make a single mis- 

 take. Now, friend A'Labala, look out and take notice of all I say in 

 the speeches that I make during the winter ceremonial, at marriages, 

 wlien the maniage money is refunded, and at sunnner festivals; for all 

 these were learned from my great- grandfather. They were given to 

 my father and to my great-grandfather at the beginning of the world 

 by the Maker of Dances. Thus I obtained the large box in my house, 

 in which I keep all the dances and the red cedar bark and the names 

 and traditions of our great-grandfathers. After I am dead, I want you, 

 A'Labala, to take my house and the large box in which [ am keeping 

 the laws of our grandfathers. Kext winter we shall have the greatest 

 winter dance that has ever been known, but I do not want to direct it, 

 for I will give all my rights to you, friend A'Labala. After this winter 

 you will have to ask his advice about everything, not mine. 



"Now I will speak about our present meeting, fori know you all wish 

 to know its object. You can not know, for it is the office of the chief 

 of the winter ceremonial to inform you. You know that I am the chief 

 of the winter ceremonial. My name is To'qoamalis. It is renowned 

 among all the tribes all around the world, for I have given blankets to 

 all of them, and whenever I speak they all hear me. The spirit of the 

 winter dance even hears me, and you also, my tribe, hear me. This is 

 a secret meeting of our winter dance. You are aware that the grand- 

 son of our chief T'o'kuiL has been taken away by the spirit, and that 

 T'o'kuiL's sister was taken away at the same time. Last niglit Bax- 

 bakualanuXsi'wae came to me and told me that these two have passed 



