29-t BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 29 



Those who were FASTiNfi to become shamans 



[T()1<1 by Tom Stevens, chief of Those-honi-at-Hon.se-point.J 



At the town of Skedans two own brothers fasted to become shamans. 

 After they had fasted for many yeai-s, the elder went out when the 

 time came for them to go to bed. And, when he entered, he said he 

 had come in from lying with a woman. He was telling a lie. He let 

 him feel between his legs. It was wet [as if washed]. That was how 

 he fooled him. Then his younger brother also went out, ])ut he really 

 la}^ with a woman. When da}" came, he lay dead. 



Then they put him into a box, and they placed him on a point, ^ and 

 he (the second) kept crying neai* his 3^ounger brother. After he had 

 sat there for a while he heard the sound of a drum proceeding from 

 the ocean. Presently it got nearer. The canoe came in sight and 

 landed bow ~ first in front of Skedans. 



Then two paddling in the bow wearing shamans"' hats'' jumped off. 

 And they went toward the light coming from the doorway of the house 

 they used to inhabit. They ran inside. They came back. When 

 they got into their canoe they turned around. ''The}" are not in the 

 house," they said. 



And, when they started off, one saw where the body was laid. He 

 said: ""One of those we spoke thi'ough lies there dead." Then the two 

 with shamans' hats got off' quickly and took off' the cover. He really 

 lay there. His elder brother did not see that they pulled off' his skin. 



Then they went down to the canoe, and he got in with them. When 

 they got in he got into the stern. They did not see him. And with 

 him they started seaward. Something round hung from the armpit 

 of the one who sat next to him. He saw that all had the same. 



Then he squeezed that belonging to the one nearest to him strongl}^ 

 He almost died and acted as shaman for himself. When he blew * on 

 himself he let it go. At once he sat up in the canoe. There was not 

 the least thing the matter with him. 



Then he moved slowly to the one in the middle and squeezed his 

 also. Then he, too, was about to die and acted as his own shaman. 

 After he had blown on himself for a while, he also let his go. The 

 chief had his nesf' in the middle. He sat in it. 



After he had done this to all in the canoe he also seized the chief's. 

 He, too, began to die. His canoe companions acted as shamans for 

 him. They blew upon him. But he did not let his go. They tried 

 to hurry each other. ''Quick, paddle away with the chief to get a 

 shaman for him."" 



Then they landed, and they got shamans for him. And they acted 

 around him, but he squeezed it all the more. All the shamans could 



