614 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



When tlie twelve women are about to fiuish their daiice, the novice 

 is seen to come out of his secret room. He does not wear any orna- 

 ments of red cedar bark. 



He dances on the four following nights. On the following day there 

 is an intermission of the ceremonies. The next day the ye'wix-ila 

 invites all the people to his house and asks them to prepare for the 

 purification of the novice, whicli will take place on the fourth day. 

 He also requests three otticers whose offices are hereditary to pre- 

 pare themselves for this ceremony. These officers are the man who 

 makes the tongs, his name is Q'aqia's; the one who uses the tongs, 

 his name is JSlE'msqEmg'ala; and the one who calls the people to the 

 washing. Early in the morning of the fourth day the last-named 

 officer must go to every house, and, beating the doors with his baton, 

 he must cry, "Yau, yau, listen, listen. There is food for you from 

 (QoiVyukolax-ilis), from (iia'xus'EmL)."' The first is the q'a'q'anas 

 name, the second the que'qutsa name, of the novice. In the evening- 

 all the people assemble in the dancing house. Then the first of these 

 men makes a pair of tongs, which are wound with red and white cedar 

 bark and put up on the west side of the house. A ladder which has 

 only four steps is placed against one of tlie rafters on the left-hand 

 side of the fire (that is, to the left when facing the rear of the house). 

 The man who made the ladder climbs it, and puts his head through the 

 roof. When he comes down, the people beat the boards and the drum. 

 At midnight he ascends the ladder again. He goes up a third time 

 between midnight and dawn, and the fourth time when the day begins 

 to dawn. This is to secure good weather. Every time when he comes 

 back, he sings: 



Ha, ba! you do uot give me. a favorable answer, you wbo are to bring tbo soutbeast 

 wind liy wasbiug our novice. - 



The officer who made the ladder is given a dish in payment for his 

 work. The one who made the tongs receives a knife and a hammer. 

 The one who carries the tongs receives a belt; another belt is given to 

 the officer who invited the people. Sometimes paddles, canoes, or 

 blankets are given to them, but these are always called dish, knife, or 

 belt, as the case may be. 



After the man has come down the ladder the fourth time, NE'msqEm- 

 g-ala takes the tongs down and goes around the fire four times, hold- 

 ing the tongs stretched forward. lie calls a man to open the door, and 

 strikes the stick which is spreading the tongs four times. The fourth 

 time he hits it so that it flies out of the door. Then betakes two stones out 

 of the fire, one after the other, repeating the motion three times in each 

 case before actually taking them u\). He throws them into the water in 

 the same way, and dips them up also after having repeated the motion 



'Yau, yau, yauxtaxoLai' yauxtaxoLai', bamaylLaai qa (Qoa'yfikrdax-ilisa:') le 

 (7axus'EinLai'). 

 * Appendix, page 729. 



