540 



TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY 



lion bristles (fig. 23), the welcome rattle (fig. 24), and the dancing- 

 apron set with the bills of the puffin (fig. 18, p. 56), and with leg-orna- 

 ments. During the dance each chief caught his supernatural power in 

 the air, went to the chief's son, holding the power in the palms of his 

 hands, and threw it into the chief's child or his niece or nephew. All 

 the invited chiefs threw their supernatural powers in the same evening. 

 When the chiefs were called, they were called by 

 then- supernatural names (see p. 513). 



"The dances did not end until it was nearly 

 daylight, and all the princes and princesses had 

 received supernatural powers and become dan- 

 cers. Therefore after four- days had passed, the 

 children all had dances; and while they were 

 dancing, the father would kill a slave or give 

 away much property, or some would break a 

 V5 !• \' ■&■{ \ilk cos tly copper. When the throwing-dance was 

 t'<4 Wi l li'i) ended, the head chief paid each of the dancers 



d(jtm 1 • l v l three or four elk skins. If there were seven or 



y ;|jM |" ten children among a chief's clan relatives, then 



each chief would have his dance seven or ten 

 times, once for every one of these princes or 

 princesses. 



"On the following day all the invited chiefs 

 went into the house of the head chief, accom- 

 panied by their wives and their tribes and by 

 the chief's children. 



"At this time the chief called in the head man 

 of each clan of his tribe, who would come 

 with all his clan relatives and with much prop- 

 erty, such as coppers, slaves, canoes, or elk skins, 

 which he would give to the chiefs. Each exo- 

 ic group (or clan r () was thus called singly. 

 After all the propert y had been assembled, the 

 counselors and the chief would determine how 

 much each of the invited chiefs was to receive. 



" When all the guests had assembled, the head 

 chief brought out first his expensive coppers, and 

 all the property was counted in the following 

 form: '32 slaves, come forth! 103 canoes, come forth! 34 elk skins, 

 come forth! 28 score and 5 large bags of berries and boxes of oil 

 come forth! 4 score and 6 carved trinkets, come forth!' 



" During this time the head chief wore on his head his highest crest 

 hat, and he proclaimed to his guests that nobody else should wear 

 this hat except himself ; and during the time while the presents were 

 counted they sang the mourning-song belonging to the crest. 



Fig. 23. Head-mask attached 

 to frame sot with sea-lion 

 bristles, and with trailer or- 

 namented wiili we 



