boas] DESCRIPTION OF THE TSIMSHIAN 433 



A prince's friends make a fire for him, and after the meal take 

 away his dish (N 190). In cases of danger the friends will always 

 stay with the prince. Thus they stay under his coffin (203). In 

 cases of trouble there is generally one companion who does not want 

 to leave his friend. A boy's companions leave him one after another 

 (323); the friends - watch by the body of a prince, and leave him one 

 by one. The last one is unwilling to leave the body (203). The 

 friends of a princess who has some difficulty in carrying her berries 

 home leave her one by one, until finally the last one, who is unwilling 

 to leave, is sent back by her (279, 1.149). 



When a young man sets out on a dangerous expedition, his friends 

 insist on accompanying him, until he finally sends them back (165). 

 The young man who visits the house of Chief Pestilence leaves his 

 friend at a brook, making the most dangerous part of the journey 

 alone (187). A youth who sets out on a dangerous expedition is 

 accompanied by two friends and a slave. First the two friends are 

 sent back by the Mouse Woman, who gives advice; then the slave is 

 told by his master to wait (N 129). 



Council. — Matters of importance are decided in a council of wise 

 men. Thus, when a flash of lightning proceeds from a bundle thrown 

 down on the floor of the chief's house, he calls his wise men and asks 

 them to explain the significance of the event (219). When a chief 

 finds out that wise people are starving and a Gull has given meat to 

 .one of his slaves, he sends messengers to call the wise men, in order 

 to ask them what they think (230). A chief is urged by his people 

 to take a wife, and when he agrees the wise men take counsel and 

 choose hunters to search for two women whom the chief is to marry 

 (179). When a young man has obtained crests, his father, the chief 

 of the village, calls all his wise men to consider with them what to do, 

 and upon their advice builds a fort (319). When a number of trav- 

 elers have lost a princess out of their canoe, a meeting of the wise 

 men is called, who conclude that a supernatural being has taken her 

 away (273). When a number of young people have been killed by 

 a ghost, the wise men assemble and suggest to the parents to call in 

 the shamans (338). In the same way, when a girl has been hurt, 

 her father calls together the wise men and asks them what he shall 

 do to cure his daughter. They advise calling in the shamans (82). 

 When a young woman requests her father to send food to her hus- 

 band, he calls in the wise men, who advise him to do as she requests 

 (184). When a chief's grandchild is crying all the time, the chief 

 calls hjs wise men to tell him what the boy wants (61). 



We also hear of councils of shamans who want to kill a rival (328 1 ; 

 and when the animals try to arrange the seasons, they call a meeting 

 of all the animals, large and small (106). When the Ghosts are 

 50633°— 31 kth— 16 — 28 



