WHO IS CHIEF—DANCES. 67 
titled to that honor who possesses the most al’-li-ko-chik. No matter how 
high may be the intellectual and moral worthiness of the reigning chief, let 
the lowest vagabond of the tribe win his money from him in a game of 
“suessing the sticks” (in these days, ina game of cards), and retain the 
same a certain number of days, and he practically succeeds to the chieftain- 
ship, such as it is. [ven a child is not named for life untilit has grown old 
enough to assert its name-worthiness by winning or otherwise acquiring 
money. An old Indian often accumulates great store of shell-money, which 
he hoards up with a miserliness equal to anything recorded of his pale 
brethren ; and when lying on his death-bed he makes a nuncupative will, 
and solemnly enjoins upon his relatives to see that his riches are divided 
according to his bequest. Takhokolli, the tatterdemalion chief of the 
Tataten, refused even to count ten for me in his language unless I paid him 
money therefor. 
There are numerous dances observed among them, chiefly on occasions 
of rejoicing. For instance, when a whale is stranded on the beach they 
celebrate the whale dance. No matter how nasty may be the blubber, they 
collect around the mighty brute and gorge themselves with it; then, joining 
hands they dance in a circle around the odious carcass, with chantings and 
glad shouts and lively antics. Pretty much the same is the elk dance, 
which is held when they have been so fortunate as to entrap one of those 
unwieldy animals, and the white-deer dance. Then there is the salmon 
dance, which is more especially observed by the Henaggi on Smith River. 
In a war dance they paint themselves with barbaric gorgeousness, decorate 
themselves very much after the fashion of the Karok, seize their bows and 
arrows, chant, whoop, leap, pirouette, and whirl in a curious manner on one 
foot, brandish their weapons with terrific yells in the direction of their 
enemies, ete. 
Finally, there is the priestess dance, which is celebrated upon the occa- 
sion of the consecration of a woman to the priesthood. This is a rigorous 
ordeal to the candidate for sacerdotal honors. She is first placed on the 
ground, in the middle of a cabin, and closely covered from view. Then 
the dancers, men and women, form in a circle around her, decked out in their 
gala-dress, and dance and chant those hoarse, monotonous rattles of theirs 
