430 • TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ANN, 3J 



On ceremonial occasions the chief and the chief tainess do not do 

 their own work and do not talk to the people, but have their attend- 

 ants and messengers who work for them. These may be younger 

 members of their own fanhlies, people that do not belong to the high 

 nobility, or slaves. 



It was mentioned before that chiefs' nephews or sons-in-law work 

 for them. On important occasions the chief sends his nephews as 

 messengers (104) or as his speakers (224). In one case he sends his 

 own sister, accompanied by some men, as his messenger, and finally 

 goes hhnself with his sister to invite a great chief (275). 



When messengers come to invite a tribe, the chief invites them to 

 his house (132). On the other hand, when he is traveling, he sends 

 his messenger to announce his arrival; and when he is offered food, 

 his messenger tells the people whether the chief will accept it (N 40). 

 When his son dies, he orders all the people to put out then fires, and 

 punishes those who do not obey. In this case his authority seems 

 to extend even over a village located on the opposite side of the river 

 and inhabited by another clan (1.197). It is said that a chief mal- 

 treats a ( Ian that he has vanquished in war (311). 



Since all the people work for him, the chief is rich in property as 

 well as in provisions. A chief has four canoes full of slaves (1.1S9). 

 When all the people are starving during a famine, smoke is still rising 

 from the houses of the chiefs (295). He owns the weapons for war 

 and distributes them among the people 1 (N 142) . When a chief tainess 

 travels about, she is accompanied by many slaves (241). 



When strangers visit the village, they are called into the chief's 

 house (72, 292), and give presents to the chief and to the chief tainess 

 (N 190). When at a festival or at other times the present offered 

 to the chief was not of sufficient value, he took offense (314). 



As stated before, the chief's house was the principal budding in 

 the town, and stood in the middle of the row of houses, or, in a town 

 of several rows, in the middle of the front row (see p. 395) . The chief's 

 house was carved (100), and the most beautiful houses were known 

 among all the tribes. A new chief might build a new house (238). 

 In the tale of the origin of the clans it is said that the Chief in Heaven 

 built houses for his sons' children, and decorated the front with carv- 

 ings (1.213). There is no indication in the tales that this was the 

 regular custom of the people and that the houses of the poor people 

 were carved. 



The chief, as leader in war, was responsible for the safety of his 

 men. When any of his followers were killed in war, he had to pay 

 the relatives for the losses they had sustained (119). 



Before his death, the chief invited the people, transferred his prop- 

 erty to his sister's son, he and his relatives sang his mourning-song, 



1 See also p. 365. 



