412 



REPORT 1891. 



The gens Spatsa'tlt have breakers painted on the bouse-front, and use 

 in dances the mask of a large kind of whale (k-'Eiits), of the crow, and of 

 the black bear. 



The gens TumQoa'akyas use the mask of OnEstsito'ma (=the sleeper) 

 aud the eagle. 



The gens Tl'ak-aumo'ot of the Nusk-'c'lstEmH use the moon (fig. 2). 



The o-ens lalo'stimot of the Talio'mH use the raven, robin (aiii'a'qone), 

 eao-le, whale, the bii-d t'entlala (genus ?), and s'atlsd'ots, the flood-tide. 

 They have sun, moon, and stars painted on the house-front, and the 

 nusqi^'mta suspended from the beams of the roof (see p. 420). 



Tbe hio-hest gens of Nutl'E'l has the name Smo'En (=the north wind). 

 He has the mountain Suwa'kHH surmounted by a mackerel sky, and with 

 clouds on its sides, painted on his house-front (fig. 3). Another object 

 belonging to his crest represents waves. 



The children belong to the gens of either father or mother, the deci- 

 sion being left to the choice of the parents. 



Secret Societies and the Potlatch. 



The social organisation, festivals, and secret societies of the Bilqula 

 are still more closely interrelated than they are among the Kwakiutl, and 

 must be considered in connection. We have to describe here the potlatch, 

 the Sisau'kH, and the Ku'siut. The Sisau'kH corresponds to the Tloola'qa 

 of the northern Kwakiutl tribes, the Kii'su'it to the Ts'etsa'ek'a. The 

 Bilqula believe that the potlatch has been instituted by ten deities, nine 

 brothers and one sister, the foremost among whom is Qe'mtsioa, to whose 

 care the sunrise is intrusted. He resides with the others in a beautiful 



Fig. 4.— Mask representing Qe'mtsioa. 



Fig. !^. — Mask representuis 

 Qemqemala'otla. 



house in the far east, and cries 6 ! o ! every morning when the sun rises. 

 He has to take care that the sun rises properly. The first six of these deities 



