418 REPORT— 1891. 



fessional midwives. The cliild is washed in warm, water. For ten days 

 the mother must remain in this hut. Father and mother must not go 

 near the room for a year (according to Nusk'Elu'sta, for ten days), else 

 the salmon would take offence. 



The child is soon given its first name. On this occasion the whole 

 tribe is invited to a feast, the name is made public, and the guests receive 

 small presents. The child retains this name until it becomes a member 

 of the Ku'siut, when it is given its Kii'siut name. This ceremony takes 

 place after puberty has been reached. About this period the young man 

 gives his first potlatch and assumes the Qe'mtsioa name. 



When a girl reaches puberty she must stay in the shed which serves 

 as her bedroom, where she has a separate fireplace. She is not allowed 

 to descend to the main part of the house, and must not sit by the fire of 

 the family. For four days she must remain motionless in a sitting pos- 

 ture. She fasts during the daytime, but is allowed a little food and 

 drink at a very early hour in the morning. After this term she may 

 leave her room, but only through a separate opening. She must not yet 

 come to the main room. When leaving the house she wears a large hat, 

 which protects her face against the rays of the sun. It is believed that 

 if the sun should shine on her face her eyes would suffer. She may 

 pick berries on the hills, but must not come near the river or sea for 

 a whole year. She must not eat fresh salmon, else she would lose 

 her senses, or her mouth would be transformed into a long beak. She 

 must not chew gum or eat snow (see Fifth Report of Committee, 

 1889, p. 838). 



If a young man wishes to marry a girl he goes, surrounded by his 

 friends, to the house of the girl's father and states his intention. His 

 friends carry food and presents, and if the father accepts the suit he 

 sends out a young man, who receives tlie food and presents and carries 

 them into the house. Sometimes the father does not accept the offer at 

 once. In such cases the young man may repeat the same ceremony until 

 he is finally rejected or accepted. After the time of the man-iage has 

 been agreed upon between the contracting parties, and the day preceding 

 the marriage has arrived, the young man invites all the people to a feast, 

 during which he states that he is to be married on the following day. 

 He asks a number of men, generally from twenty to thirty, and four 

 women to assist him. On the following forenoon they assemble, and 

 accompany the bridegroom to the girl's house. They sing outside, and 

 four of the men dance. All of them have their faces painted red. Finally 

 they enter, and the bridegroom gives a large amount of property to the 

 girl's father. Then the girl leaves her parents and goes to the bride- 

 groom, bringing him also a largo amount of property which has been 

 given to her for this purpose by her parents and relatives. He in turn 

 gives her blankets and other apparel of the best quality, and distributes 

 presents among her relatives. This is repeated after some time. All he 

 has given to his bride and her relatives is repaid to him with interest. 

 A rich girl will repay twice or three times the amount given by the man. 

 At the time of the marriage the bride's father may promise the groom to 

 give him his Sisau'kn secrets as soon as the pair have their first child. 

 The children may belong to the father's or mother's gens, as the parents 

 may choose. 



In case of a separation the wife refunds the amount of purchase- 

 money. The children may stay with either parent, or part of them may 



