DANCE FOR THE DEAD— YO KAI-A. 97 



was held which lasted three days. During- this time of course the Senel 

 were the guests of the Yo-kai-a, and the latter were subjected to a consider- 

 able expense. I was prevented by other engagements from being present, 

 and shall be obliged to depend on the description of an eye-witness, Mr. 

 John Tenney, whose account is here given with a few changes : 



"There are four officials connected with the building, who are probably 

 chosen to preserve order and to allow no intruders. They are the assist- 

 ants of the chief. The invitation to attend was from one of them, and 

 admission was given by the same. These four wore black vests trimmed 

 with red flannel and shell ornaments. The chief made no special display 

 on the occasion. In addition to these four, who were officers of the assem- 

 bly-chamber, there was an old man and a young woman, who seemed to 

 be priest and priestess The young woman was dressed differently from 

 any other, the rest dressing in plain calico dresses. Her dress was 

 white covered with spots of red flannel, cut in neat figures, ornamented 

 with shells. It looked gorgeous and denoted some office, the name of which 

 I could not ascertain. Before the visitors were ready to enter, the older 

 men of the tribe were reclining around the fire smoking and chatting. As 

 the ceremonies were about to commence, the old man and young woman 

 were summoned, and, standing at the end opposite the entrance, they 

 inaugurated the exercises by a brief service, which seemed to be a dedica- 

 tion of the house to the exercises about to commence. Each of them spoke 

 a few words, joined in a brief chant, and the house was thrown open for 

 their visitors. They staid at their post until the visitors entered and were 

 seated on one side of the room. After the visitors then others were seated, 

 making about 200 in all, though there was plenty of room in the center for 

 the dancing. 



" Before the dance commenced the chief of the visiting tribe made a 

 brief speech, in which he no doubt referred to the death of the chief of the 

 Yo-kai-a, and offered the sympathy of his tribe in this loss. As he spoke, 

 some of the women scarcely refrained from crying out, and with difficulty 

 they suppressed their sobs. I presume that he proposed a few moments of 

 mourning, for when he stopped the whole assemblage burst forth into a 

 bitter wailing, some screaming as if in agony. The whole thing created 



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