98 DANCE FOE THE DEAD— TO KAI-A. 



such a din that I was compelled to stop rny ears. The air was rent and 

 pierced with their cries. This wailing and shedding of tears lasted about 

 three or five minutes, though it seemed to last a half hour. At a given 

 signal they ceased, wiped their eyes, and quieted down. 



" Then preparations were made for the dance. One end of the room 

 was set aside for the dressing-room. The chief actors were five men, who 

 were muscular and agile. They were profusely decorated with paint and 

 feathers, while white and dark stripes covered their bodies. They were 

 girt about the middle with cloth of bright colors, sometimes with variegated 

 shawls. A feather mantle hung from the shoulder, reaching below the knee; 

 strings of shells ornamented the neck, while their heads were covered with 

 a crown of eagle feathers. They had whistles in their mouths as they 

 danced, swaying their heads, bending and whirling their bodies ; every 

 muscle seemed to be exercised, and the feather ornaments quivered with 

 light. They were agile and graceful as they bounded about in the sinuous 

 course of the dance. 



" The five men were assisted by a semicircle of twenty women, who 

 only marked time by stepping up and down with short step ; they always 

 took their places first and disappeared first, the men making their exit 

 gracefully one by one. The dresses of the women were suitable for the 

 occasion. They were white dresses trimmed heavily with black velvet. 

 The stripes were about three inches wide, some plain and others edged like 

 saw-teeth. This was an indication of their mourning for the dead chief in 

 whose honor they had prepared that style of dancing. Strings of haliotis 

 and pachydesma shell beads encircled their necks, and around their waists 

 were belts heavily loaded with the same material. Their head-dresses 

 were more showy than those of the men. The head was encircled with a 

 bandeau of otters' or beavers' fur, to whicli were attached short wires stand- 

 ing out in all directions, with glass or shell beads strung on them, and at 

 the tips little feather flags and quail plumes. Surmounting all was a pyra- 

 midal plume of feathers, black, gray, and scarlet, the top generally being 

 a bright scarlet bunch, waving and tossing very beautifully. All these 

 combined gave their heads a very brilliant and spangled appearance. 



"The first day the dance was slow and funereal, in honor of the 



