lADiN] THE MEDICINE DANCE 367 



— oya — a" three times, and ending with a long-drawn-out "yo — 

 ho." At the west end both he and the leader of the south band 

 speak. Then chanting "yo — ho" again, they all walk toward the 

 east end. Here the leader of the east band speaks twice. All now 

 place their otter skins on the ground in front of them, and east 

 speaks again. At the conclusion of his speech, all kneel m front of 

 the otter skins and cough, at which the sacred shell drops from their 

 mouths upon the otter skins. They thereupon pick it up, and hold- 

 ing the shell in one hand and the otter skins in the other, make a 

 circuit of the lodge four times, increasing their speed each time, and 

 singing. All this time the shell is held in full view of the spectators, 

 on the outstretched palm of the right hand. As they near the east 

 end of the lodge, at the end of the fourth circuit, standing in 

 front of the ancestor host's band, they supposedly swallow the shell, 

 and fall do-mi, instantaneously, head foremost, as if dead. Finally 

 they come to, and coughing up the shell they put it into their otter- 

 skin bags, and then making the circuit of the tent, shoot four members 

 of the ancestor host's band, four of the east, four of the north, two of 

 the west, and two of the south band. Each person as he is shot 

 falls prostrate upon the ground, but recovering after a few moments, 

 joins those making the circuit of the tent. Each leader now takes 

 his drum and gourds to the fireplace. Tlien the general shooting 

 commences. Each person possessing the right shoots one individual, 

 until all the members have been shot. As each person is shot he 

 faUs to the ground, feigns unconsciousness, and then slowly recovers. 

 The slowness or speed of his recovery depends exclusively upon the 

 privileges he possesses and the number of years he has belonged to 

 the society. As soon as each person shot recovers he falls in line 

 immediately after the last one shot. While all are thus walking 

 around a half dozen people at the fireplace sing shooting songs to 

 the accompaniment of drums and gourds. Tlie amount of noise at 

 this point is quite considerable. 



(6) Initiation ritual (Part IV, h): All the members of the an- 

 cestor host's band and the candidate make one cuTuit of the lodge, 

 taking their otter skins with them. As they pass around they gently 

 touch the heads of the members with the mouth of the otter 

 skin, saying " Yoho — o — o", to which the members respond with 

 "Ho — — 0." After the circuit, all r.eturn to their seats, with the 

 exception of the candidate, who remains at the east end in front of 

 the fireplace. After a pause the ancestor host joins the latter and 

 delivers a speech of the admonition type. The candidate first faces 

 the south and then the north. During the speech the ancestor 

 host touches him on his head and on his chest and makes him face 

 first south and then north. When the speech is over the ancestor 

 host sings and takes the candidate to the west end of the tent. 



