36 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 
From Alert Bay the expedition moved northward to Rivers Inlet, 
where lives another tribe of the Kwakiutl Indians. ‘There are two 
villages, one near the Rivers Inlet cannery at the head of the inlet, the 
other on an island about three miles up stream. Here the river reaches 
the tide water between tall mountain peaks, still covered with snow in 
July. At this season of the year the Indians congregate here to work for 
the salmon canneries. ‘There were Nootka from the west coast of Van- 
couver Island and also members of the Kwakiutl tribe from Alert Bay. 
The local Indians with characteristic hospitality invited the visiting 
Indians to a feast or “cultus potlatch.” It was held on Saturday night, 
when, according to the laws of British Columbia, fishing must not be 
carried on. We expressed a desire to attend this potlatch, and from 
time to time during the day, the Indians invited us and reminded us of the 
event. ‘The chief of the local tribe was very sick and was expected to 
die. His retainers were going to give the potlatch, so that honor would 
accrue to him. I am inclined to think that they had a vague idea 
that it might be of benefit also to his health. 
As the darkness gathered the Indians began to move toward the 
main house of the village. The house was immense and was made of 
split cedar slabs on a framework of great logs. The rafters, which 
were just out of reach, were at least three feet in diameter and blackened 
by the smoke of many years. When we entered this house there seemed 
to be at least a hundred Indians assembled. At the farther end were 
the members of the small tribe located at Rivers Inlet. ‘These Indians 
later furnished music, by beating upon a board with batons and upon 
a great wooden drum with the fist. Along the left side of the room 
were gathered the Nootka, and on the right the Kwakiutl from Alert 
Bay. Some of the men of the latter tribe had positions of honor in great 
wooden seats which were placed on the floor, where they reclined with 
their feet toward the fire, their knees partly drawn up and their heads 
and shoulders resting against the back of the seat. Before the feast 
began, cordwood was heaped on the fire which furnished the only 
illumination. When the fire flared up, long shadows were thrown 
against the blackened walls. Occasionally a dog passed in front of the 
fire and his weird shadow was thrown against the wall. Sometimes 
there was a silhouette of a baby, who toddled toward the fire from his 
mother, only to be drawn back by a clutch upon his skirts. As the 
evening wore on these children became fretful, and the affectionate 
