* THE INDIANS OF THE NORTHWEST COAST. 377 



tracing the descent of Chief Shakes from the b-iar. Amongst the 

 Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian these theatrical entertainments are also 

 given by the chiefs, but have more of a totemic than a religious sig- 

 nificance, as in the south. It was formerly and is now somewhat the 

 custom in the more out of the way villages for each chief to have a 

 helper or principal man, who enjoys the confidence of the chief, has 

 considerable authority, gives advice and instruction to the chief's 

 successor, and has the care and keeping of certain secrets and prop- 

 erties belonging to the chief. These last duties pertain largely to 

 assistance rendered in the production of the theatrical representations 

 of the traditions and legends relating to the chief's totem. On such 

 occasions, the guests being assembled, the chief presides, while the prin- 

 cipal man directs the entertainment. Fig. 354 represents a scene taken 

 from a representation witnessed by the writer at Chief Shakes's, Fort 

 Wrangell, Alaska. The figure of the bear is a mannikin of a grizzly 

 with a man inside of it. The skin was obtained up the Stikine River, 

 in the mountains of the iuterior, and has been an heirloom in Shakes's 

 family for several generations. The eyes, lips, ear lining, and paws are 

 of copper, and the jaws are capable of being worked. A curtain screen 

 in one corner being dropped, the singing of a chorus suddenly ceased, 

 and the principal man, dressed as shown, with baton in his hand, nar- 

 rated in a set speech the story of how an ancestor of Shakes's rescued 

 the bear from drowning in the great flood of years ago, and how ever 

 since there had been an alliance between Shakes's descendants and the 

 bear. This narration, lasting some ten minutes, was interrupted by 

 frequent nods of approval by the bear when appealed to, and by the 

 murmurs and applause of the audience. 



In these various representations all sorts of tricks are practised 

 to impose on the credulous and to lend solemnity and reality to the 

 narration of the totemic legends. The masks shown in Plate lxvii are 

 those worn by the difl'erent characters in the entertainments offered by 

 Chief Skowl. 



