ON THE NORTH-WESTERN TRIBES OF CANADA. 835 



from both his friends and from those whom he is going to invito to the 

 feast. Everyone lends him as many as he can afford, i.e. according to 

 his rank. At the feast these are given away, each man receiving the 

 more the higher his rank is. All those who have received anything at 

 the potlatch have to repay the double amount at a later day, and this is 

 used to repay those who lent blankets. At each such feast the man who 

 gives it acquires a new and more honourable name. 



Among the Snanaimuq I observed the following customs : The chief's 

 son adopts, some time after his father's death, the latter's name. For this 

 purpose he invites all the neighbouring tribes to a potlatch. The Sna- 

 naimuq have a permanent scaffold erected in front of their houses, on 

 which the chief stands during the potlatch, assisted by two slaves, who 

 distribute the presents he gives away among his guests, who stand and sit 

 in the street. As it is necessary to give a great festival at the assumption 

 of the chief's name, the new chief continues sometimes for years and years 

 to accumulate wealth for the purpose of celebrating this event. At the 

 festival his father's name is given him by four chiefs of foreign tribes. 



I will give here some details on the wars of this tribe. The warriors 

 were thoroughly trained. They were not allowed to eat while on the war- 

 path. Before setting out on such an expedition they painted their faces 

 red. When near the village they intended to attack, the party divided 

 one half hid in the woods behind the village, while the others watched 

 in their canoes. When the latter gave a sign both parties attacked the 

 village. When successful, the men were killed, the women and children 

 carried off as slaves. The heads of the slain were cut off, taken home, and 

 planted on poles in front of the houses. 



It may be of interest to hear the history of one of these wars that 

 raged for many years about the middle of this century as told by a chief 

 of the Snanaimuq. K'oa'Elitc, a chief of the Si'ciatl, had a daughter, who 

 was the wife of a chief of the Snanaimuq. Once upon a time the former 

 tribe was attacked by the Le'kwiltok", and many men had been killed. 

 Then Koii'Elitc sent to the chief of the Snanaimuq and called upon him 

 for help. They set out jointly and met the Le'kwiltok* at Qu'sam 

 (Salmon River). In the ensuing struggle the Si'ciatl and Snanaimuq 

 were victorious, but many of their warriors were killed. They brought 

 home many heads of their enemies. The friends of the Snanaimuq, how- 

 ever, were sad when they heard of the death of so many of their friends, 

 and they resolved to take revenge. They all, the Pena'leqats, T'ii'tEkE, 

 Teqo'laos, Qelii'ltq, (^EkEme'n, Snouo'os, Snanaimuq, and Si'ciatl, 

 gathered and made war upon the Le'kwiltok*. Another battle was fought 

 at Qu'sam, in which the Le'kwiltok* wei'e utterly defeated, and in which 

 many slaves were captured. Now the Le'kwiltok" called upon their 

 northern neighbours for help. They were greatly reduced in numbers ; 

 of the Tlaa'luis only three were left. Then these tribes went south to 

 take revenge, and in a number of battles fought with the southern tribes, 

 who had meanwhile been joined by the tribes of Puget Sound. While the 

 war was thus raging with alternating success, part of the tribes on Van- 

 couver Island had removed to the upper part of Cowitchin River, others 

 to Nanaimo River, still others to the mainland. Posts were continually 

 maintained to keep the tribes informed of movements of the Le'kwiltok" 

 and their allies. Once they had unexpectedly made an expedition south- 

 ward before the tribes were able to gather. They had gone past Fraser 

 River to Puget Sound and had massacred the tribes of that region. 



S a 2 



