EELLS ON THE TWANA INDIANS. 103 



$ 15.— SOCIAL LIFE AJsW CUSTOMS. 



A.— Organization of society. 



Classes of 7nen and professions. — Chiefs, sub-chiefs, headmen, medicine- 

 men, common people, slaves. 



Military, political, and religious castes. — None in the proper sense of 

 the term. 



/Secret orders. — Black Tamanamus. I cannot learn that there has been 

 any of it for eight years. If it is practiced at all now, it is done very 

 quietly, and in a very dilferent manner from formerly ; but as near as I 

 can learn, the society is entirely broken up, I have not been able to 

 learn the entire ceremony, but am told that it was similar to the Makah 

 ceremony, which has been given by Mr. J. G. Swan in his description of 

 that tribe, though the ceremonies varied somewhat in the different tribes 

 on the sound. I, however, learn that the candidate was starved for a 

 long time (one man saying that he did not eat anything for eight days), 

 but he or she (for both men and women were initiated) was closely 

 watched inside a large tent, and what else was done in it I cannot learn; 

 but occasionally the candidate was let out and pursued by two or three 

 others with all their might, and sometimes he himself pursued others, 

 and if he gave out in the race or other exercises he was not considered 

 worthy to become a member. If he did not, he was taken back to the 

 tent and watched and starved, and the same scene repeated every day 

 or two. At last he was brought out perfectly rigid, and taken by sev- 

 eral men and thrown up as high as they could into the air, sometimes 

 eight feet, and caught, and this was continued until he apparently came 

 to consciousness and screamed. There was also very much cutting of 

 the body and limbs quite deep, so that the candidate became quite 

 bloody, but he did not seem to take any notice of it. After these cere- 

 monies, he would sometimes sit, in his house or lodge, looking like an 

 idiot, for two or three mouths, and speak to no one, even to a husband or 

 wife, but simply wind something on a stick and unwind it again day 

 after day. 



Slaves. — Those taken in war or bought, always originally captives, 

 however, were slaves. Formerly they were very much oppressed, but 

 now they have considerable liberty, and there are only two in the tribe, 

 as there has been no war for a long time, and the treaty by the Govern- 

 ment provides that there shall be no slavery. 



B. — Customs. 



Personal habits. — Not neat in their houses, and not very neat in their 

 clothes, though growing much more so. Very much accustomed to 

 bathe. In dress, quite showy and clean on public days. 



Salutation, etiquette, liospitality. — Not much form in salutation, on\j a 

 word or two, and sometimes shaking of hands, which they have learned 

 from Americans. Not much etiquette. Very hospitable to friends. 



