618 REPORT—1890. 
Lé'lenog (ghost) occurs, the Ldld'tlalatl being his opponent. As soon as 
the ha'mats’a gets excited the nz{lmatl will close the door and prevent 
the escape of those present. Then the ha@’mats’a rushes around and bites 
the people. At the same time, when the ni’tlmatl rises, the kyi!mkalatla 
must rise and attend his master, the ha’mats’a following all his move- 
ments. If the latter is unable to get hold of anyone eise he bites the 
kyi'mk’alatla. When the hd'mats’a returns from the woods a post 
called ha/mspiq (=eat-post) is erected in the dancing-house, and remains 
there for four days. It is a high pole, with a short cross-piece on top. Itis 
wound with red cedar-bark, which spreads toward the cross-piece in the 
shape of a fish-tail. After the fourth night the pole and the cedar-bark 
are burnt. During the Ts’étsd/ék'a season the hd/mats’a must speak in 
whispers only. When he has eaten a corpse he has to observe certain very 
strict regulations for four months after the end of the dancing season 
before he is allowed to haye unobstructed intercourse with the rest of the 
tribe. He is not allowed to go out at the door, but a separate opening is 
cut for his use. When he rises he must turn round four times, turning 
to the left. Then he must put forward his foot four times before actually 
making a step. In the same way he has to make four steps before going 
out of the door. When he re-enters the house he has to go through the 
same ceremonies before passing the door, and must turn round four 
times before sitting down. He must use a kettle, dish, spoon, and cup 
of his own, which are thrown away at the end of the four months. Before 
taking water out of the bucket or river he must dip his cup four 
times into the water before actually taking any. He must not take more 
than four mouthfuls at one time. When he eats boiled salmon he must 
not blow on it in order to cool it. During this period he must carry a 
wing-bone of an eagle, and drink through it, as his lips must not touch 
the brim of his cup. He also wears a copper nail to scratch his head with, 
as his nails must not touch his skin, else, it is believed, they would 
come off. At the end of the Ts’étsa’/ék-a many people surround the 
ha'mats’a and lead him into every house of the ‘village and then back to 
the dancing-house. This is called wéi/léka. When the dancing season is 
over, the hd’ mats’a feigns to have forgotten all the ordinary ways of men 
and has to learn everything anew. He acts as though he were very 
hungry. The bones of the corpse he has eaten are kept for four months. 
They are kept alternately four days in his bedroom and four days under 
rocks in the sea. Finally they are thrown into the sea. After the 
Ts’étsa'ck'a is over he has to pay everyone whom he has bitten. It 
is said that the Kwakiutl obtained the hd’mats’a ceremonies from the 
Awi'ky’énoq, Tsa/watnénog, and Héiltsuk-. 
2. The No’ntsistati is also initiated by Baqbakualanusi’uaé. He is 
painted black, covered with ashes, and carries firebrands, which he bran- 
dishes in dancing. He has two whistles, is allowed to bite people, and 
eats out of one dish with the hd/mats’a. 
3. K’o0é'k-oastatl (from k°’0é'koasa, to beg), the beggar dancer, carries 
two whistles. He is so called because anything he asks for must be 
given him. 
4, Ni’tlmatl (=the fool dance). The Nitlmatl carries a lance, sticks, — 
or stones. When he is excited by the k-wé’k-ntsé he knocks to pieces 
what he can lay his hands upon, and strikes the people. In order to excite 
him they sing a song taken from a legend referring to the mink and the 
wolves, Mink, Tic'selagyilak‘ (= made the sun), had killed two sons of 
stint iin 
