180 THE SHAMAN. 



over this fire, and minced very fine ; the head, fins, 

 and tail of the Avhale, were disposed near, and upon 

 them were laid small portions of the cooked food, a 

 few beads, some tobacco, and mites of several other 

 of their most valuable articles. The food, when 

 cooked, was handed round in separate platters to 

 the assembled crowd, each of whom was also 

 presented with a small strip of tobacco ; nor was I 

 omitted in this attention, although the latter article 

 had been obtained from me for the purpose. After 

 all had been served, and some time allowed to 

 elapse, the offerings upon the fish, together with 

 pieces cut from its head, tail and fins were consumed 

 in the fire. All was conducted in almost unbroken 

 silence ; even the queries, which with ill judgment I 

 presumed upon my friendship to put to Ahmoleen, 

 who was the person principally officiating, were 

 responded to in an under tone ; and the company, 

 comprising the greater part of the villagers, seemed 

 impressed with a sense of the sacred natm-e of the 

 ceremonies. Inside his yarang, Mooldooyah, Ahmo- 

 leen's father, whom I have before said I believed to be 

 a shaman, or priest, beat incessantly upon the largest 

 drum I ever saw among the people, chanting mo- 

 notonously in a succession of quivering notes, and 

 drawling out the words to a great length. The 



