642 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



almost deafening. In this uproar there was a pause ; then the din oonimenced anew. 

 This time the dancers brought out blankets, and with them beat the feathers ou the 

 floor till the whole air was filled with down, like flakes of snow during a heavy 

 winter's storm. Another lull succeeded, then another dance, and another shaking 

 up of feathers, till I was half choked with dust and down. Next the presents were 

 distributed, consisting of blankets, guns, shirts, beads, and a variety of trinkets, 

 and the whole aff'air wouud up with a feast. 



I presume the following custom belongs here as well. When the 

 incantations and practices of the shaman are of no avail, the jjatieut is 

 initiated in a secret society called tsa'yeq. Evidently this name is 

 derived from the Kwakiutl word ts'a'eqa, thus suggesting that this cere- 

 mony also was borrowed from the win- 

 ter ceremonial of the Kwakiutl. I 

 obtained the following description of 

 these ceremonies : The members of the 

 tsa'yeq assemble and make a circuit 

 through the whole village, walking in 

 Indian file and in a circle, so that their 

 left hand is on the inner side (oppo- 

 site the hands of a clock). Nobody is 

 allowed to laugh while they are mak- 

 ing their circuit. The tsa'yeq of the 

 Hopetcisa'th and Ts'eca'ath sing as 

 follows during this circuit: 



Ha, hil, hii', he is not a shaman.' 



When dancing, they hold the first 

 fingers of both hands up, trembling 

 violently. They enter all houses and 

 take the ])atients and all the other peo- 

 ple who desire to become members of 

 the tsa'yeq along, two members of the 

 society taking each novice between 

 them and holding him by his hair, 

 while they continue to shake their free 

 hands. The novice nuist incline his 

 head forward and shake it while the 

 society are continuing their circuit. Thus they go from house to house, 

 and all those who desire to become members of the society join the 

 procession. The circuit finished, they assemble in a house in which 

 during the following days none but members of the tsa'ye(| are 

 allowed. They sing and dance for four days. After these days the 

 novice obtains his cedar bark ornament (fig. 199 and Plate 51). Small 

 carvings representing the crest of his sept are attached to the front 

 j)art of the head ring. The dress of the ucta'qyu, the shaman, who is 

 the most important member of the society, is larger than that of the 

 other members. 



rig. 199. 



HEAD RING OK THE TSA'YEQ. 



Neeah Bay. 



Cat. No. 4711), U. S. N. M. Collected t,v J. O. Swan. 



' Appendix, page 733. 



