596 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



which flowed dowu where BaxbakurilanuXsi'wae rubbed G-e'xdEu. 

 White cedar bark is flowing down from the rear part of his ring." 



Now people were heard singing outside, but before they entered some 

 blankets were distributed. Three or four speakers who carried lances 

 stepped into the doorway. Then a dancer entered singing; his whole 

 face was bhickened. The speaker closed his mouth with his hands, 

 compelling him to stop singing, and spoke to him. The dancer replied : 

 ''Nothing is heard." The speaker left him. He conthiued his song. 

 Then he danced forward and raised his hands alternately. His song 

 was not accompanied by any beating of time. His head ring had a 

 horn in front. During this time the speakers were talking. Finally 

 the dancer was taken to the rear of the Are by the speaker who held 

 the lance. Now the singers began to sing again. QE'ldetsEm and 

 another old man performed a dance, and blankets were given away. 

 Some blankets were held around the tire while the distribution was 

 going on. During this time the speaker who carried the lances went 

 to the door and four women went out. 



Now the speaker ordered the people to sing, and a ha/mats'a, accom- 

 panied by one assistant, entered. The beating of time continued for 

 some time before the singing began. When the ha'mats'a had reached 

 the rear of the house, seven women entered dancing. One of them 

 remained standing near the door, while the others danced around the 

 fire. In the dances of the Koskimo, one woman, whose duty it is to 

 sing all the secret songs, remains standing in the doorway during the 

 whole ceremony. At the end of the second dance of the ha'mats'a 

 some of the women danced out of the house again. After his first 

 circuit the ha'mats'a danced once to the right and once to the left, in 

 the rear of the house, and disappeared behind the curtain. 



Now blankets were again distributed in honor of the preceding 

 dance. Again the women were heard singing outside. They entered, 

 dressed in blankets, and imitating the motions of birds, and thus they 

 danced to the rear of the house, where they remained standing. They 

 were followed by the speaker, who carried the lance. One of them sang, 

 while the others danced in the rear of the house. Then blankets were 

 distributed among the Na'q'oaqtoq. Next a speaker whose face was 

 blackened went out. 



Then the ma'maq'a entered, wearing a blanket. Men and women 

 were talking to him. He put his hands on a baby that was sitting 

 in the lap of its mother, and blew on it. Then he spoke in front of 

 the curtain, and the people replied "wo." Next QE'ldetsEm appeared 

 from behind the curtain, dancing. He was followed by the speaker 

 carrying a lance and a man who carried his child on his arms. The 

 child wore a ha'mats'a head mask. After they had gone around the 

 fire once, the singers began their song and the women danced. Some 

 speeches followed. 



Now the arrival of new dancers was announced. A ha'mats'a entered 



