THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 637 



The followiug description may also refer to part of this ceremonial:^ 



During the song aucl dance, which at first seemed to present nothing peculiar, a 

 well-known slave (one, however, who was in a comparatively independent position, 

 being employed as a sailor on board the steamer Thames), suddenly ceased dancing, 

 and fell down on the ground, apparently in a. dying state, and having his face covered 

 with blood. He did not move or speak, his head tell on one side, his limbs were 

 drawn up, and he certainly presented a ghastly spectacle. While the dance raged 

 furiously around the fallen man, the doctor, with some others, seized and drao'ged 

 him to the other side of the fire round which they were dancing, placing his naked 

 feet very near the fiames. After this a pail of water was brought in, and tlie 

 doctor, Avho supported the dying man on his arm, washed the blood from his face; 

 the people beat drums, danced, and sang, and suddenly the patient sprang to his 

 feet and joined in the dance, none the worse for the apparently hopeless condition 

 of the moment before. While all this was going on, I asked the giver of the feast 

 whether it was real blood upon the man's face, and if he were really wounded. He 

 told me so seriously that it was, that I was at first inclined to believe him, until he 

 began to explain that the blood which came from the nose and mouth was owing to 

 the incantations of the medicine man, and that all the ])eopl6 v/ould be very angry 

 if he did not afterwards restore him. I then recalled to mind that in the early 

 part of the day, before the feast, I had seen the doctor and the slave holding very 

 friendly conferences ; and the former had used his influence to get a pass for the 

 latter to be present at the eutertainnieut, to which, probably, he had no right to 

 come. 



In Jewett's narrative- the following description of part of the Lo'ko- 

 ala occurs : 



On the morning of December 13, another strange ceremony began, by the king's 

 firing a pistol, apparently, without a moment's warning, close to the ear of Satsat 

 who dropped down instantly as if shot dead on the spot. 



Upon this all the women set up a most terrible yelling, tearing out their hair 

 by handfuls, and crying out that the prince was dead, when the men rushed in, 

 anued with guns and daggers, inquiring into the cause of the alarm, followed by 

 two of the natives covered with wolfskins, with masks representing the wolf's head. 



These two came in on all fours, and taking up the prince on their back, carried 

 him out, retiring as they had entered. * * * 



The celebration terminated with a shocking and distressing show of deliberate 

 self-torment. 



These men, each with two bayonets run through their sides, between the ribs, 

 walked up and down in the room, singing war songs, and exulting in their firmness 

 and triumi^h over pain (p. 187). * * # 



The religious ceremonies (in another village) were concluded by 20 men who 

 entered the house, with arrows run through their sides and arms, having strings 

 fastened to them, by which the spectators twisted, or jiulled them back, as the meu 

 walked round the room, singing and boasting of their power to endure suftering 

 (p. 192). 



Another description of the ceremonial has been given by James G. 

 Swan:^ 



The Dukwally (i. e., lO'koala) and other tama'nawas performances are exhibitions 

 intended to represent incidents connected with their mythological legends. There 



'Sproat, "Scenes and Studies of Savage Life," page 68. 



-''The Captive of Nootka, or the Adventures of John K. Jewett," Philadelphia, 

 1841, page 184. 

 ^ "The Indians of Cajje flattery, " jiage 6G. 



