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by means of lamps. When people were assembled and every- 

 body seated according to his customary rank, one of the prin- 

 cipal hunters commenced the ceremony with a song, at the 

 same time dancing and beating the tambourine surrounded by 

 all the people belonging to his household or his partisans. 

 Having ended, he distributed gifts of his game among the as-^ 

 sembly. The value of his presents in connection with the 

 number of his attendants would then decide the rank which 

 public opinion transferred to him. After he had finished, the 

 same act was repeated by a new performer and so on, these 

 ceremonies being alternated with meals, feasting and merrymaking 

 lasting for several days. 



Apart from these festivals councils were held on serious 

 occasions to which no woman was admitted unless after being 

 solemnly introduced. Bloodvengeance was among the affairs 

 decided in this way. Sometimes it gave rise to wars with 

 other tribes from which female prisoners and children were 

 brought home as slaves. 



A very interesting account is given by the Norwegian 

 traveller Jacobsen of his having witnessed a great festival at 

 Igniktok close to Bering Strait. Here the Kashim had an 

 underground entrance leading to an opening in the middle of 

 the floor. The festival was held especially in honour of five 

 deceased persons belonging to as many families and here re- 

 presented by one relative each. It began with a song where- 

 upon a man stepped forward and before the audience shifted his 

 clothes, taking on his dancing dress and then assisted by some 

 women , dancing and beating the drum he sung in honour of 

 the dead, praising their excellent qualities and achievements. 

 After three dances had been performed in this way, the whole 

 party was copiously regaled and finally a very remarkable cere- 

 mony took place, consisting of a distribution of gifts on behalf 

 of the dead, as a sign of power and magnanimity. 



The amount of what was given away on this occasion in- 



