830 EBPORT — 1889. 



Closely connected with the gentes of the Kwakintl are their secret 

 societies, each of which has certain characteristic dancing implements. 

 They are obtained by marriage in the same way in which the crest 

 is obtained. There is, however, one restriction to the acquiring of 

 the right to become a member of the secret society. The person who 

 is to acquire it must be declared worthy by the tribe assembled in 

 council. Not until this is done is the man allowed to marry the girl 

 from whose father the right of being initiated is to be acquired. This is 

 even true regarding the 'medicine men.' The emblems of these secret 

 societies are rings of red cedar-bark, of various designs. The connection 

 of the gentes and these institutions may be seen from the legend ' Heli- 

 kilikila and Lotlemak'a,' which was told on p. 825.' 



Although a few of the tribes inhabiting the country adjoining that of 

 the Kwakiutl have secret societies of the same character among them 

 they are in no way connected with the gens. This fact, as well as the 

 difference in the character of the legends of the gentes, proves that the 

 social organisation of these groups of tribes is of entirely different 

 origin. The southern groups derive their origin from a fabulous an- 

 cestor who is either himself the totem or to whose adventures the 

 totem refers. The first is the case in the gens Si'sintlae, which derives its 

 originfrom the sun,Ts'E'nts'EnHk''aio of the Walaskwakintl, which derives 

 its origin from the eagle, and others. In the majority of cases the crest 

 refers to adventures of the ancestor. In the northern groups we observe 

 a pure animal totem, but the animal is not considered the ancestor of 

 the gens bearing its name. The crest always refers to adventures of one 

 of the ancestors. 



Government and Law. 



The people of this country are divided into three classes : common 

 people, middle class, and chiefs. While the last form a group by them- 

 selves, the members of the class forming the highest nobility, children of 

 middle-class people are born common people, and remain so until they 

 become members of a secret society, or give a great feast and take a name. 

 All along the coast the giving away of presents is considered a means 

 of attaining social distinction. The chief has numerous prerogatives, 

 although his influence upon the members of the tribe is comparatively 

 small. I am best acquainted with his claims among the Tsimshian, but 

 it seems probable that these institutions are much alike among the 

 various peoples. He has to carry out the decisions of the council ; more 

 particularly, he has to declare peace and war. His opinion must be asked 

 by the tribe in all important events. He decides when the winter village 

 is to be left, when the fishing begins, &c. The first fish, the first berries, 

 &c. are given to him. It is his duty to begin all dances. He must be 

 invited to all festivities, and when the first whistles are blown in winter, 

 indicating the beginning of the dancing season, he receives a certain 

 tribute. People of low rank must not step up directly to a chief, whose 

 seat is in the rear of the house, but must approach him going along the 

 walls of the house. 



The highest in rank among all Tsimshian chiefs is the one of the 

 Gyispaqla'ots tribe. His name is invariably LEgi'eq. He is considered 



' See the author's paper on ' The use of masks on the North-West Coast of 

 America,' in Internationales Archie far Ethnograj)hie, 1888. 



J 



