242 PREGNANCY AND BIRTH. Ethnology 



only after a long time. This will happen every day, sometimes it may 

 faint four times a day. When her husband singes a seal, the child's 

 body will be burnt all over. It will have blisters. When she blows 

 up a [seal] bladder, the child will always have winds. When she 

 eats anything that was found and there is a hole in it [eaten by 

 birds or other animals], the child will have a hole at the same place. 

 When she sleeps outside of the house, and it is nearly time for her 

 child to be born, her belly will be filled Avith blood and she dies. When 

 she stays a long time in the doorway and looks out of the house, the 

 child will do the same when it is being born. It will take long for the 

 child to be born. Sometimes the woman will die; sometimes the 

 child. When a woman who is with child stays in bed long, she will do 

 the same when she gives birth to the child. W^heu anybody stands 

 back of her the child will be born feet first. 



When she gives birth to the child, she always heats five stones. She 

 makes a hole in the ground and throws two stones into it. Then she 

 ties her blanket around herself and takes a steam-bath over these stones. 

 Five days and nights she takes steam-baths all the time. When the 

 stones get cold she takes them out of the hole and puts others into it. 

 She does so day and night. After she has finished her steam-bath she 

 takes the stones inland and places them in the hollow of a tree with 

 her coat, her tongs and her cedar -bark belt. The after-birth receives 

 presents — short dentalia and beads. If this is not done the child dies 

 after a short time. Then the after -birth takes it back. A woman who 

 is with child does not drink water that has been standing [in a vessel] 

 a day. She drinks only water that has just been taken from the river, 

 else she will be sick for a long time. 



When a chieftaiuess gives birth to a child a woman is called to look 

 after her. Sometimes two are called. They take the child when it is 

 born and wash it in a large dish. They take a good knife and cut its 

 navel-string. Then the two women are paid; sometimes it is only one 

 woman. It is the same with a male and with a female child. When 

 the child is a girl the taboos extend over ten days; if it is a boy, they 

 extend over five days. When it is a boy the father and the mother 

 may eat fresh food after five days. If it is a girl they may eat fresh 

 food after ten days. 



One month after the birth of the child the people are invited by the 

 father of the child. Now they dance. ISTow a man who has a guardian 

 spirit [who helps him to understand] children, is asked to practice 

 his art on the child. Then its ears are i)erforated. This is the custom 

 of the Katlamat. They finish perforating its ears. Two holes are made 

 in each ear and presents are distributed among the people. They are 

 paid for dancing [for the child]. After a year, when the child begins 

 to stand and to walk, the father becomes again glad and invites all 

 the people, who dance for the child. Its ears are again perforated, 

 i^ow five holes are made in each ear. This is done with both boys 



