swAMoxl POTLATCHES 



439 



When they were very close to the town their hostess told tlieiii to 

 go ashore, so that she nu«jlit yive them the hist meal. On reaching 

 Yende'staqle, the town at the mouth of Chilkat river, a cannon was 

 fired off to stop them, because Chief Danawa'q! wanted to feast 

 them also. He gave them twenty large hoxes of eulachon grease, 

 part of which he distributed and part he gave them to drink. They 

 drank this excitedly and impetuously, snatching tlie boxes from one 

 another in their eagerness. Then all the visitors, men and women, 

 danced before this chief to pay him for his hospitality. They had 

 great sport. When they camped halfway up to Klukwan two cannon 

 were tired, but they were still too far off to be heard. WhcMi they 

 started up again next morning the news had somehow or other reached 

 Klukwan, and many came down to help them liy fastening ropes on 

 the canoes and pulling them along from the shore. That day they 

 camped in sight of Klukwan, and both parties began welcoming each 

 other by tiring off' cannons. 



Next dav the two givers of the feast started down, accompanied by 

 all their friends, and they brought along twenty boxes of eulachon 

 grease and twenty more of berries, as well as firewood. They also 

 brought the crests and left them overnight there, as a sign that they 

 would be safe with the guests. Next morning the Klukwan people 

 went down to see the Sitka people dance. Four songs had to be made 

 for this dance, and after the fourth was .sung the Klukwan people 

 went back to prepare for their own dance. 



When the visitors reached Klukwan the first man to come out of the 

 house was Yelxa'k, who wore a hat provided with ears and covered with 

 abjlone shell. He had a bow and arrows in his hand, and as he came 

 down he kept making the motions of letting go an arrow. He did 

 this because he was about to spend a great quantity of money and 

 wished to show how lu-ave he was. Yelgfi'xo came out next. On his 

 head was the Raven hat, and he was leading a number of women. 

 Meanwhile men appointed for the purpose kept firing cannons. 

 Finally all of the people were taken into Raven house (Yel hit). Black 

 Whale house (Ya'i hit), and Valley house (Q!ak hit). 



When guests from foreign towns were going to dance everybody 

 left home and crowded into the dance house, where they were made 

 welcome, and great fun went on. It was customary for the visitors 

 from another town to dance first, so the Sitka people began coming in 

 singing the Tsiinshian song. One man stood just inside and one just 

 outside, as watchmen. They sang, ' ' There is a rich man coming. He is 

 on the way." When they were halfway through singing the words, the 

 Sitka chief (Thom) entered dancing. After that the Klukwan Eagles 

 danced in their turn. There were three families, the DAqiJawe'di, 

 Taqestina', and Kfi'gwAntan. First a man came in acting like a l>ear. 



