612 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



During- a feast the young man who is to be initiated suddeuly faints. 

 At once a number of newly initiated shamans are called to investigate 

 the cause of his sickness. They are unable to ascertain what ails the 

 young man, and send for the older shamans. Tliey feel all over the body 

 of the youth, and finally declare that the spirit Wina'lag-ilis has taken 

 possession of him. Then a sail is stretched across the rear of the house 

 and the patient is placed behind it. The house is cleaned, and every- 

 body is invited — men, women, and children. Henceforth this house 

 will be the dancing house. The q'a'qanas, who corres^wnd to the 

 me'cm(ioat of the Kwakiutl, must stay in this house after they have 

 once entered it until the end of the whole ceremoniah The profane 

 are not allowed to pass the front of the house above high-water mark. 



The master of ceremonies asks the people to sing the following song, 

 which is supposed to have the power of restoring the patient to life: 



Hayas ahuno lalii ya liouo haiiil Liiu. 

 Do not cry, yon will come back safely.' 



An old shaman stands by the patient, feeling his body. The song iias 

 no effect upon the young man, and the master of ceremonies requests 

 the people to try another means of restoring him to life. Boxes are 

 placed in front of all the assembled people, and at a signal they beat 

 time rapidlj' with their batons, ending with a loud nip. This is repeated 

 four times. 



The above song belongs to the clan Naa'nqaenox (always staying at 

 home), while the beating of time belongs to the clan La'lauiLEla, who 

 obtained it from the Awi'k*'enox. The shaman says that the beating 

 of time had the desired eftect upon the patient. After this the people 

 assume their winter names and rearrange themselves in groups as 

 enumerated on page 419. 



On the same night the festival called qap'e'k" is celebrated. In the 

 morning of this day a number of young men were sent out to collect 

 alder bark and to make red cedar bark, which is distributed among the 

 people in the evening. In payment for their services they receive a 

 special allotment of f iod. When the people assemble for the qap'e'k", 

 the highest ha'mats'a is first led to his seat. The other ha/mats'as are 

 l)laced at his side. They are folio w^ed by the ts'e'kois and by the 

 hai'alik-alaL. The (jue^qutsa take their seats last. They sit on each 

 side near the door. As many que'qutsa as there are ha'mats'as are 

 charged with the making of the head rings of the latter. These que'- 

 qutsa all stand on the right-hand side of the door, each holding his 

 ring. They have a leader, whose office is hereditary. They walk around 

 the fire four times, singing. Then they step in front of the ha'mats'as, 

 and on a signal they all put the neck rings around them. At a sec- 

 ond signal they put the head rings on the heads of the ha'mats'as, 

 and finally they strew their heads with down. Then the ha'mats'a's 

 whistle is heard, and the people distribute quickly the red cedar bark 



1 Appendix, page 728. 



