INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 207 



dos" teams, and the doy-s are fed. The visitors are cared for 1)V indi- 

 vidiial hosts according to a preconcerted understanding. In the dance 

 that follows the refreshments the young women and even old women 

 of the visiting party are most prominent. Generally the orchestra is 

 made up of the guests. One of the latter, a man, dances with the 

 women until the}^ are allowed to retire from the performance as par- 

 ticipants and to watch the movements of a number of volunteers 

 among the women of the reception party. Little children have their 

 opportunit}^ and are loudly applauded by their parents and patrons, 

 whose encouragement is vocal, not given by clapping. After trading 

 has begun one of the guests will place some dried salmon or other 

 article of trade on the walrus skin, and he and the wife of the man 

 who desires to enter into the trade will dance together, the latter 

 taking the article to her husband. Later he will, in turn, place the 

 article which he wants to give in exchange — as some flour, for instance — 

 on the skin, and dance with the wife of the other man, Avho will take 

 off the article to her husband. In all trading, I understand that the 

 dancing is as described above. The entertainment lasts many hours 

 generalh", most of it taking place at night. These dances occur in the 

 house, never out of doors, I think. If the large, cool part of the 

 house is used, the people are dressed in their furs. The women, in 

 dancing, expose the right arm and shoulder. If the living apartment 

 is used, the women dance almost nude. Strings of beads are worn 

 about the neck, hanging far down over the abdomen. In case of a 

 female the feet are not moved at all, but the movements are made by 

 the arms and hands and by bending the head and the body. All the 

 movements are "jerky." The men lift now one foot and then the 

 other, and stamp vigorously, in addition to making the other move- 

 ments of arms, hands, and body. Generally the man beats time and 

 also makes a little music with a drum to accompan}^ his partner and 

 himself, and shouts in chorus with the orchestra, who chant and beat 

 drums loudly. 



KazzeSva GhalehjyuJie {d(mce), ghen l>y the Chief Assoonc — Assoone, 

 his wife, two daughters, his brother, and brother's wife stood upon 

 the roof of his house, while a choir of women stood on the ground 

 l)elow near the door. The roof was too slippery to admit of more 

 persons upon it. Formerl}' a large number of people would stand, 

 in observing this dance, upon the roof of the underground house. 

 Assoone related in his chant the narrative of the destruction of his 

 liouse b}^ fire a year ago during the winter, when he was absent at 

 Southwest Cape and his family and other members of his household 

 were attending a dance at a neighbor's house. Some l)lubber which 

 was cooking over a seal-oil lamp accidentally caught lire and caused the 

 destruction of the property. The people were greatly alarmed when 

 some powder and cartridges exploded, and ran for their lives. The 



