152 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



rhytbni and time. The dance over, the notal)les i-etreat behind the 

 curtain which falls and hides them from view. 



A new mask is added on the occasion of every subsequent funeral 

 banquet given by the same notable, so that the number of jesters 

 •present at these festivities indicates the number of banquets given by 

 him since he succeeded his late uncle. 



Next day, in the morning, takes place the grand banquet, which 

 sometimes lasts a whole day. On this occasion, the late toeneza's 

 personal goods which to this day have remained untouched, are 

 exhibited one after the other in full view of the crowd and amidst 

 the lamentations of his relatives, care being taken not to name the 

 deceased. Then also his charred bones, which so far have been daily 

 packed by his widow, are suspended within the satchel to the rafters 

 of the new house, after which, in the course of distributing eatables, 

 his successor rubs his greasy hands on the widow's hair and covering 

 her with a new blanket which he presents to her, says: "I hereby 

 liberate thee ; so thou mayest return to thy kindred and marry if 

 thou pleasest." 



On the morrow, prior to the general distribution of clothes and 

 skins, not to let the medicine-men pass unnoticed amidst such 

 solemnities, and to ensure their good will against any malady or ill 

 which may befall the assembly, they are requested to make their pre- 

 ventive " medicine." With this end in view, four or five of the most 

 famous capture (?) while dancing the soul or shade of each assistant 

 and restore it to his head v/ith solemn insufflations. 



A peculiarity of the final distribution is that the totem, toad or 

 gi'ouse, having be m placed at either side of the door, each new comer 

 belonging to another clan than that of the host is bound by custom 

 to present said totem with clothes and hunting implements which 

 thereby become the new notable's property. Part of these he will, 

 after the ceremony, divide among his fellow clansmen, keeping for 

 himself only what he thinks he will be able to re-fund by offering to 

 the totem of his present guests an exact equivalent on the occasion 

 of the next banquet given by them. This will be observed by all the 

 partakers of these so-called presents, which are really nothing but an 

 exchange of property from clan to clan. 



