THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 591 



through all his customs and rules, and that they are on their way home. 

 Therefore I have called you into our winter dance house, that you may 

 prepare for them. They will make their appearance to-day. Keep 

 yourselves in readiness. The spirit never lies, and BaxbakualanuX- 

 si'wae does not keep the novices longer than four days, and it is four 

 days to day since our children have disappeared, ISTow I have tinished." 



Every noW and then the old men would interrupt him, saying : ''Your 

 words are true," or "Your words are good, chief," or "Go on! teach 

 your children hov/ to speak." He remained standing a short while 

 without speaking. 



Then T'o'kuiL came forth from behind a curtain that was stretched 

 along the rear of the house, and said: "O Koskimo! I am pleased that 

 you have come to this house. I did not put it up for myself; I did so 

 for the greatness of your name. How glad I am, for I believe I heard 

 our chief To'qoamalis say that BaxbakualauuXsi'wae came and told 

 him that my grandson and my sister are on their way home. Is that 

 true?" To'qoamalis replied: "It is true." Then T'o'kuiL continued : 

 "Let them come, for I have my property in readiness." To'qoamalis 

 said : "1 did not finish. Let our leaders prei)are to meet the two new 

 ha'mats'as who are on their way home from BaxbakualanuXsT'wae, 

 for they will be excited, and we must not call upon the que'qutsa to 

 be the first to meet them. We must ask some who have greater powers. 

 I will ask our friend the great Po'Xuiyalas, and her friend the great 

 G-a'lolL, and the great KdkuiLala, and the great Q'e'q'anqoala, onr 

 four mri'maq'as who have passed through the t'd'X'uit ceremonies to be 

 our leaders. Xext shall follow the Hc'mElk, the old ha'mats'as. I 

 will ask you, Xa'noqois, and you, great Xau'alg-is, and your friend the 

 great Qoa'ts'amya, and your friend the great Qoa'yuqoalag-ilis, and 

 your great friend Qoaxkue'k", and your great friend L'emElxa'lag-ilis, 

 to follow tlie ma'maq'as to defend us from the wildness of the new 

 hfi/mats'as. Xext I will ask you, Maa'myaank'^; you will form the third 

 group. Dress yourselves as nicely as you can. You have heard the 

 Kwakiatl say that we do not know how to arrange a winter ceremonial 

 properly. Send someone to fetch button blankets from your houses 

 and put them on. Last of all, I will ask you, que'qutsa. Two of you 

 shall carry a plank on which the Maa'myaank" shall beat time to 

 accompany their song. Two others shall carry a plank on which the 

 ma'maq'as shall beat time to accomi)any their song, and you shall also 

 carry a plank on which you shall beat time to accompany your own 

 song. And one of you shall carry a skin drum. Onr friends the great 

 ha/mats'as shall not sing, because they have to look after their whistles. 

 There shall be four attendants for each of the new ha/mats'as, and I 

 will nanie them now. You, He'lek-ats'e, K-a'qoLe, ALanudala, and 

 your friend He'lekamig-alis, keep ready to attend the new ha'mats'a, 

 who is going to come back to us to-day. You, Qoa'gis, Xalulala, 

 X'i'x'eqala, and your friend, Lela'asnuk", keej) ready to attend the 



