124 SMITHSOXIAX MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 76 



by gifts supposed to be bestowed by the infant. There were songs 

 for boys and for girls. Frequently the words were supposed to be 

 those of the child. Thus a lullaby for a baby girl contains the words 



" The only reason I cannot gather more berries 

 Is that so many other babies are bothering me." 



The following lullaby is addressed to a boy, 



" What a nice basket full of snipes you are carrying. 

 You got them at Tcatcatiks." 



The singer of this song would expect to be rewarded with a feast 

 of snipes. Several of the lullabies were recorded by ]\Irs. Wilson 

 Parker (fig. 119), whose head shows a deformation observed fre- 

 quently among the ]\Iakah. 



The wedding customs were elaborate, including mock and genuine 

 feats of strength as well as dramatic performances of various sorts. 

 An instance of the latter was the presentation of what might be 

 termed a " model " of an island, given by a man to the girl who 

 married his son. A song concerning this action was recorded by 

 Mrs. Sarah Guy (fig. 120) and contains these words, 



'' ]\Iy island home is ready, 

 There are many ducks around it."' 



The most characteristic songs and legends of the Alakah are those 

 connected with whale catching. In these songs we find tones prolonged 

 to the length of four or more counts in slow tempo, suggesting the 

 " ahoy," or call across the water, which is used among sea-faring 

 people of other races. In addition to these very long tones the whaling 

 songs contain short rhythmic units, crisp and decided, like the motion 

 of the paddles in the water. The intervals and compass of these melo- 

 dies is rather small. ]\Ir. James Guy (fig. 121), who recorded whaling 

 songs, said they were sung " in time with the paddles " and that be- 

 tween renditions the men held their paddles upright and gave a long 

 wail or moan, imitating the sound made by a wounded whale 



The prominence, power and wealth of a ]\Iakah depended on his 

 success in catching whales. One or two whales was the average catch 

 for a man in a season but sometimes a man caught four or five. In 

 that event he was able to give an oil potlatch, at which about 500 

 gallons of whale oil were given away. Not only was the oil taken home 

 by the guests but buckets of it were poured over the women relatives 

 of the host who danced at the potlatch. The host even showed his 

 lavish intention by pouring a large quantity of oil on the fire. In the 

 songs of the oil potlatch a captured whale is supposed to be speaking. 



