IMPLEMENTS AND WEAPONS OF GRAHAM ISLAND. 49 



blankets and other valuables being given away to all who assisted at the making of the 

 pole, or who were invited to the ceremony. Stultah was of the eagle crest, and according 

 to custom, the recipients all belonged to other crests, no eagles receiving anything. Not 

 long afterwards Stultah died, before his projected lodge was completed. His brother 

 succeeded him, and assumed his name. He erected another carved pole in commemoration 

 of Stultah's death and his own adoption of his brother's place. This was again accom- 

 panied by a feast or distribution of food to the multitude and of blankets to the makers 

 of the pole. 



A mortuary pole is called Sath-lung-hdt, a,nà is altogether different from a pole erected 

 on occasion of lodge-building. Keeaiig, or lodge poles, are hollowed out at the back, 

 whilst Sath-liing-hât, or mortuary poles, are solid, being generally a circular column with 

 carving only on base and summit. 



"When it was decided to erect a Keeang and build a lodge, invitations were sent to 

 the tribes in the vicinity to attend, and on arrival the people were received by dancers in 

 costume and hospitably treated and feasted. When all the Indians from adjacent places 

 were assembled, at the appointed time they proceeded to the place selected for the erection 

 of the pole. A hole, seven, eight or ten feet deep having been dug, the pole was moved 

 on rollers till the butt was in a proper position to slip into the hole. Then the process 

 of elevation began. Long ropes were fastened to the pole and gangs of men, women 

 and children took hold of the ends at a considerable distance away. The most able-bodied 

 men advanced to the pole, standing so close all along on each side that they touched each 

 other, and grasping the pole from underneath they raised it up by sheer strength, by a 

 succession of lifts as high as their heads, while, in the meantime, others placed supports 

 under it at each successive lift. Stout poles, tied together like shears, were then brought 

 into play, while the lifters took sharp-pointed poles, about eight feet long, and standing 

 in their former positions, lifted the pole (which was immediately supported by the men 

 who shift the shears) by means of these sticks, until it attained an angle of about forty- 

 five degrees. The butt was then gradually slipped into its place and the gangs at the 

 ropes, who had been inactive all this time, got the signal to haul, when, amidst the most 

 indescribable bellowing, holloaing and yelling, the pole was gradually and surely 

 elevated to the perpendicular position. G-reat hurrahs, shouting and antics took place as 

 the pole was set plumb and the earth filled into the hole. 



The crowd next adjourned to the house of the owner, who feasted the people with 

 Indian food, such as grease, berries, sea-weed, etc. This being completed, the man takes 

 the place of Eitlahgeet, great chief, and the next thing he does is to distribute his property, 

 a task requiring great discrimination. Very often on such occasions he adopts a new 

 name, discarding that by which he was hitherto known. When he proclaims to the 

 crowd that he is quite impoverished and has distributed all his effects, they appear to be 

 delighted, and regard him as indeed a great chief. 



This distribution of property was often the scene of riot and disorder, sometimes 

 ending in bloodshed. Some of the recipients would consider that their share of the 

 plunder was too small, and that they had been slighted, others who were less deserving 

 having got a larger share. Invariably there was a show of discontent on the part of some 

 of the guests, and if the donor could not reconcile them by fair words or an additional 

 present, a forcible attack was often made on the pile of blankets and goods received by 



Sec. II, 1891. 7. 



