104 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 



Feasting and festivals^ manner of observing, and meaning. — When friends 

 come on the 4th of July and Christmas, or because of a potlatch, i. e.^ 

 distribution of gifts. On the 4th of July, Christmas, or when friends 

 come, they simply cook a large amount of food, spread it on mats, which 

 are on the ground, and they gather around the different mats in com- 

 panies. Sometimes when friends come, they bring a large amount of 

 food with, them, both for themselves to eat and those whom they come 

 to see, expecting that there will be much over, which will be given to 

 the friends whom they visit. At a potlatch, one man, or a few persons, 

 give notice that they will give away a large amount of money and 

 provisions, and they invite not only their own tribe, but also the 

 neighboring tribes. Food, clothes, and money, and other things, are 

 then given away, sometimes to the amount of $5,000, the persons doing 

 so immortalizing themselves for life by this means. The potlatch lasts 

 from three days to three weeks, and is accompanied by feasting, gamb- 

 ling, visiting, &c. 



Sleeping customs. — The more civilized class have a bed-room partitioned 

 off, and very many have bedsteads. Often men, women, and children 

 sleep in the same room, and sometimes on the floor with mats, feather- 

 beds, straw-beds, skins, blankets, and quilts, more or less as they are 

 able to procure them. A few use sheets. Formerly they all slept in the 

 same room and on the ground, but are now slowly adopting American 

 customs. 



Charities, &c. — There is nothing organized, and formerly there was 

 much suffering among the sick and old ; but of late years, as they have 

 earned money, the friends of the sick and poor care for them, so that 

 there is but little real suffering because of poverty. The agent also 

 provides extra food for the sick and poor from Government supplies. 

 Initiation into manhood or into the tribe. — There is no ceremony now, 

 and has not been, as far as I can learn. 



Social vices. — Intemperance, gambling, and filthiness. 

 Sealing. — See sec. 1, E, of present chapter. 



Bleeding, extracting teeth, amputation, trepanning. — These were unknown 

 among them before a white i)hysician came. 



Customs ivhen about to build a house, to go on a hunting or fishing expe- 

 dition^ to onaJce a journey, or to engage in any neic ptirsuit, — Formerly, as 

 now, when about to build a bouse, they did nothing special, as their houses 

 werd so small and often removed, that it was an event of no great im- 

 portance; but when about to go on a hunting or fishing expedition, to 

 make a journey, or engage in anything special, they would tamanamus, 

 their way of invoking the presence of the Great Spirit, so that they 

 might be successful. They do very little of this now. 



Customs tvhen about to engage in tear. — They would consult together 

 in an assembly where those who wished would speak, and then do as 

 the chiefs said. After this they would tamanamus in order to be success- 

 ful, and x^aint themselves with black and red, making themselves as 

 Mdeous as possible. They have had no war for many years. 



