918 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



as human forms, curved, with the feet and legs turned upward and the 

 arms thrown forward, as if making violent efforts at jumping. These 

 spirits are driven around from one point to another, some shamans 

 driving and striking them to compel their departure, while others are 

 assisting in exorcism by using the magic rattles, seen as short T-shaped 

 figures in the hands of some of the assistants. 



All of this ceremony is for the purpose of exorcism, the expulsion of the 

 demons of disease from the body of a sick man, indicated as wrapped 

 up at No. 24, where he is supposed to be lying upon the ground. 



The entire grouping of the figures is, necessarily, placed along two 

 base lines, each line running parallel with the border of the ivory bow 

 upon which the record is portrayed. The heads of the different indi 

 viduals, as well as the housetops and the tops of the sledges, are all 

 directed inward toward the middle, this being the limit of possibility 

 of artistic execution in attempting a bird s eye view of the whole vil 

 lage and its dancing ground the latter being about the high decorated 

 pole, at No. 4, but for lack of space the ceremonial is transferred to 

 where it is drawn the intention being to represent the dancers as if 

 in a circle, their movements being directed around the pole bearing the 

 animal figure. 



1 2 3 456789 10 11 



Fig. 141. 



SHAMANISTIC CEEEMONIAL. 



Two distinct styles of engraving occur in the pictograph represented 

 in fig. 141, although they are probably by the same artist. The habi 

 tations shown in Nos. 1 and 3 arc in delicately engraved lines quite 

 foreign in execution to the crudely carved figures in Nos. 4 to 11. The 

 houses are in profile, and both indicate the place of entrance at the 

 right side, beneath the delicate vertical rod projecting above. Human 

 figures are seen upon the roofs, those upon No. .3 appearing to be occu 

 pied in an animated conversation, as suggested by the attitude of the 

 arms. 



The vertical poles, connected by a crosspiece, indicated in No. 2, rep 

 resent a rack Avhere fish and the meat of game are suspended for dry 

 ing. The figure of a man engaged in some occupation connected with 

 the rack is observed between the vertical poles. 



The human figures indicated in Nos. 4 to are engaged in a dance, 

 the attitudes of all but two being well executed in the representation of 

 the peculiar manner of leaning forward the body, common to nearly all 

 aboriginal tribes when participating in such pastimes. In Nos. G and 

 8 are seen peculiar tail-like appendages, representing merely ornamental 

 streamers often tied to the belt at the spiral portion to represent the 

 tails of animals which these natives sometimes imitate, both in dress 

 and actions. 



