﻿128 SMITHSONIAN ]\riSCKl.l..\.\ ICOIS (Ol.l.KC IJONS \(i|.. 74 



In later times, after the first contact with civihzation, it hecanie 

 difficult to kill slaves. The custom developed, therefore, of manu- 

 mitting one or more slaves w^hen a pole was set up. A figure repre- 

 senting the slave who went free, was often carved on the pole. A 

 very finely carved jiole in Howkan (fig. 121) has an amusing figure 

 on it. It represents the Czar of Russia who sold Alaska. It shows 

 him with his military uniform, with epaulettes. An Indian made 

 this pole soon after the transfer of Alaska to the United States. 

 Concerning the Czar he said as follows : " We have now got rid of this 

 fellow. We have let him go off about his business. Therefore, I 

 will jnit him on my ])ole, in memory of the event." 



A certain artistic st}le has become established in this region, which 

 also tends to prevent the carvings from being readily recognized. 

 Two tendencies especially may be recognized. In the first place, 

 many parts of the animal are suppressed entirely, and selected fea- 

 tures only are portrayed. In the second place, [he Indian artist feels 

 at liberty to rearrange the parts of the animal, to make the design fit 

 the available space. Often the animal is reassembled in an entirely 

 new way, the parts appearing in the most unex])ected and incongru- 

 ous way. These two tendencies have beeri labelled ])v Boas the 

 tendency toward syiiiholisiii. and the tendency toward distortion. 



Some of the important totem animals are symljolized by the follow- 

 ing traits. When one or two of these traits are present, the animal 

 may be readily recognized. 



Beaver. This animal is usually re])resented as sitting uj), and 

 gnawing at a stick, which he holds in his forepaws. The great 

 incisor teeth of this rodent are always shown \erv plainlv. 



Bear. The bear is usually in a sitting postm-e. usuallv holds some- 

 thing between his ])aws. and usually has something jirotrnding froni 

 his jaws (if nothing else, then his tongue). 



Ragle. The l)cak of the eagle cm-ves over at the end, and has 

 a characteristic sha])e. 



" TJiunderbini." This bird (which does not appear in the natural 

 histories) makes thunder by clapping his wings, and lightning bv 

 winking his eyes. He is carved very much like the eagle, but Ins I)eak 

 is larger, and he wears a cloud hat. 



Hawk. The carving of the hawk may l)e distinguished ])v the fact 

 that the beak curves over, and the point of it touches the mouth or 

 chin. 



Shark. The characteristics emphasized in the shark-carvings are 

 rather curious. The animal's gill-slits (a row of openings on either 

 side of the animal's neck) are alwa\s shown bv crescent -shaped 



