574 REPORT— 1896. 
toad, and seeds of Peucedanum leiocarpum, Nutt. If the birth should 
prove to be hard, these objects are charred, powdered, and drunk by the 
mother. The toad’s toes are also moved downward along her back. 
This is called ‘making the child jump’ (dd’yugsté). It is worth re- 
marking that Peucedanwm leiocarpum is used as a powerful medicine 
also by the Salish tribes of Vancouver Island (see Sixth Report of the 
Committee, 1890, p. 577), who call the plant k-rqmé’n, while the Kwakiutl 
call it k’aqgmé'n. Judging from the form of the word, I think that it is 
rather Salish +han Kwakiutl. Certainly the belief in the power of this 
plant was transmitted from one tribe to the other. 
During the period of pregnancy the husband must avoid to encounter 
squids, as this would have the effect of producing a hard delivery. 
When the woman is about to be confined, she leaves the house accom- 
panied by two of her friends who are to assist her. The latter dig a hole 
in the ground, and one of them sits down on the edge of the hole, 
stretching her legs across it so that her feet and the calves of her 
legs rest on the opposite edge. Then she spreads her legs, and the woman 
who is about to be confined sits down on her lap, straddling her legs so 
that both her feet hang down in the pit. The two women clasp each 
other’s arms tightly. The third woman squats behind the one who is 
about to be contined, pressing her knees against her back and embracing 
her closely, so that her right arm passes over the right shoulder, her left 
arm under the left arm of her friend. The child is allowed to lie in the 
pit until after the afterbirth has been borne. Then the navel string is 
tied and cut, and the child is taken up. 
For four days the afterbirth is kept in the house. A twig of yew 
wood about four inches long is pointed and pushed into the navel string, 
which is then tied up. Four layers of cedar bark are wrapped around 
the afterbirth. That of boys is in most cases buried in front of the 
house-door. That of girls is buried at high-water mark. It is believed 
that this will make them expert clam-diggers. The afterbirih of boys is 
sometimes exposed at places where ravens will eat it. It is believed that 
then the boys will be able to see the future. 
The navel string is believed to be a means of making children expert 
in various occupations. It is fastened to a mask or to a knife, which are 
then used by a good dancer or carver, as the casemay be. Then the child 
will become a good dancer or carver. If it isdesired to make a boy a good 
singer, his navel string is attached to the baton of the singing master. 
Then the boy calls every morning on the singing master while he is taking 
his breakfast. The singing master takes his baton and moves it once down 
the right side of the boy’s body, then down the left side ; once more 
down the right side, and once more down the left side. Then he gives the 
child some of his food. This, it is believed, will make him a good singer. 
I referred in the Fifth (p. 847) and Sixth (p. 614) Reports to the beliefs 
in regard to twins. I have received the following additional information 
in regard to this subject. Four days after the birth of twins, mother and 
father must leave the village and resort to the woods, where they stay for 
a prolonged period. They separate, and each must pretend to be married 
to a log, with which they lie dgwn every night. They are forbidden to 
touch each other. They must not touch their hair. Every fourth day 
they bathe, rub their bodies with hemlock twigs, and wipe them with 
white shredded cedar bark. Their facesare painted redall the time. For 
this purpose they do not use vermilion, but ochre. They are not allowed 
