Pacific Coast and Islands 177 



ceremonial among the tribes of the North Pacific 

 coast from Oregon to Alaska. The word has 

 passed into popular speech along the north-west 

 coast from the Chinook jargon, into which it 

 was adopted from the Nootka word patshatl, 

 giving, or a gift. Although varying consider 

 ably in different parts of the coast, these pot- 

 latches were mainly marked, as the name implies, 

 by the giving away of quantities of goods, com 

 monly blankets. The giver sometimes went 

 so far as to strip himself of nearly every pos 

 session except his house, but he obtained an 

 abundant reward, in his own estimation, in the 

 respect with which his fellow-townsmen afterward 

 regarded him, and when others potlatched he, in 

 turn, received a share of their property with inter 

 est, so that potentially he was richer than before.&quot; 



The erection of totem poles usually took place Erection of 

 at a &quot;potlatch&quot;; for the description of the scene Totemp les 

 we quote again from Archdeacon Collison: 

 &quot;The first item in the programme of this great 

 potlatch to which these visitors had been in 

 vited was the erection of a great totem or crest 

 pole. Amongst all the tribes on the coast, 

 none surpassed the Haidas in the construction 

 and erection of these totems. In this, and in the 

 designing and finishing of their large war canoes, 

 the Haida Indians excelled all the coast tribes, 

 whether in British Columbia or on the Alaskan 

 coast. They had one natural advantage, in the 

 very fine cedar trees which were to be found on 

 their islands.&quot; 



