boas] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 54*7 



the people. lie is surrounded by all the other members of the 

 Cannibal Society. He carries the corpse so that the shoulders rest 

 on his left arm, while the right supports the thighs. He is naked, 

 and he bites pieces out of the body of the corpse. When the decayed 

 matter runs out, he licks it up. Then the other members of the 

 Cannibal Society lead him to the house which has been set apart 

 for their use during the dancing-period. There they sing, and the 

 whistles, are heard in the house. While the singing is going on, 

 the novice runs out of the house, followed by his attendants. He 

 goes from house to house, and his attendants put their hands into his 

 mouth to feed him (that is, they allow him to bite pieces out of their 

 hands and arms). Finally he returns to the house of the society, 

 and they begin to sing again. He will run out of the house three 

 or four times a day; and nobody in the village dares to eat much, 

 because the people are afraid of him. 



"On the evening of the first day the chief invites in all the people. 

 When all the guests are in, the members of the Cannibal Society 

 enter, blowing their whistles. When they arrive at the door, the 

 women enter first, wearing on their heads rings made of cedar bark 

 dyed red, mixed with undyed cedar bark. Their hair is strewn 

 with eagle down, and they wear blankets, which are just held together 

 by leather strings at the neck. While they are coming in, they 

 hold up their blankets to hide their faces from the fire. Then they 

 stand on one side of the house with their backs towards the fire. 

 After that the men come in. They carry a long plank, and each has 

 a baton with which he beats time on the plank. One man carries a 

 wooden drum on his back. He is followed by the drummer. 



"In the rear of the house there is a large curtain stretching from one 

 corner to the other. Then all the terrible whistles are heard behind 

 (lie curtain. These are the whistles of all the various dancers. Sud- 

 denly the dancer's voice is heard by the people. Then the curtain is 

 drawn, and the novice appears, carrying the corpse and eating it 

 before all the people. His eyes are rolling while he is chewing. 

 At the end of the first song he disappears behind the curtain. Then 

 the second song begins — the marching-song of the dancer. He leaps 

 around the fire, his one hand stretched upward. All his attendants 

 surround him, and his whistles are heard among them. When the 

 singers mention the name of Haialilaqs, the dancer gets excited, 

 and tries to catch some one to be his prey. Therefore all his attend- 

 ants, men and women, put their hands and arms into his mouth, 

 and allow him to bite them. This is to prevent him from attacking 

 the people. At the same time some wide boards are put up in front 

 of the people who do not belong to the society and who sit at the sides 

 of the house. Then the attendants take the novice out of the house. 



