boas] DESCRIPTION OF T1IE TSIMSHIAN 411 



cut off (1.195) and hung up over the door of the house (1.197). After 

 the head has been rut off, the scalp is removed and kept as a trophy 

 (259). At the same place another custom is described, but not very 

 clearly. The warriors cut down the bodies of the slain enemies on 

 each side, and pull down the skin between their legs. The decapi- 

 tated bodies are put up on poles (152, 259). The poles, with the bodies 

 attached to them, were sometimes put up in the corners of the house 

 (14G, 151). The bodies of the slain enemies are thrown behind the 

 house. 



The chief has to pay his tribe for losses sustained in war (430). 

 When a man has been killed accidentally, the murderers may atone 

 by the payment of property for the loss they have inflicted, in accord- 

 ance with the rank of the murdered person (172). 



Social Organization 



The tribe is divided into four exogamic groups of maternal descent. 

 These are the G'ispawadwE'da, the Ganha'da, Lax-k/ebo' (Wolf), 

 and Lax-ski'°k (Eagle). The four groups are, of course, assumed to 

 be known. Clan relationship, position, and property are inherited 

 by a man from his maternal uncle. Property transmitted in this 

 way consists of crests, lullabies or mourning-songs, clan-songs (note 

 on 1.219-221), names, hunting-grounds, bathing-places (308), sea- 

 lion rocks (N 109). A woman recognizes warriors of her clan by their 

 war-song (259). It is interesting to note that in one case at least a 

 man makes over his hunting-ground to his son (244). 



In one case distinctive characteristics of the clans are referred to. 

 When visiting the home of an ocean-being, the G'ispawadwE'da, 

 who have the killer-whale emblem, are able to swallow seals whole, 

 while the Eagles can not do it (287). 



The clans existed before the Deluge, when all the Tsimshian tribes 

 lived at T!Em-lax-a'ni (Prairie Town). When the people were scat- 

 tered after the Deluge, the clans were thus continued wherever they 

 went (1.251). On the other hand, a rather obscure statement in the 

 Gau'o story has it that the children of the Sky Being, who were sent 

 back to the earth with their crests, made war upon all the tribes, and 

 compelled them to adopt the clan system (1.217). 



A number of stories tell of the origin of crests, or are given as clan 

 stories. These are as follows: 



G'ispawadwE'da: 



G'it-na-gun-a'ks (285). 



The four chiefs and the Grizzly Bear (292). 



Gau'o (1.193, N 221). 



Rotten Feathers (N 234). 



The Grouses (N 229). 



Story of the G'ispawadwE'da (297). 



