112 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

who, in turn, would pass on the request so that it might reach each
member of the party. Not only is it contrary to custom for a commoner
to hold intercourse with a chief’s wife, but it is unknown for a man to
ask another to sleep with his wife, so the youth was surprised and rather
frightened. However, he acceded to the request, passed on the instruc-
tions, and washed. As he was bathing, a seal appeared in the surf beside
him, and he was able to kill it easily. Each in turn behaved in the same
manner, washed, and then killed a seal. Next morning, when the chief
returned he was delighted that all had turned out in accordance with his
hopes. At the same time the wind dropped so that the party was able
to return home.

The power which had brought the seals within reach of the
men had been engendered in their own bodies by these ritual
acts after a rather lengthy period of continence. The Bella
Coola believe that such a procedure always increases their
strength and ability, therefore giving them a better chance to
gain favour from supernatural beings, and to take advantage
of opportunities offered. Hunters in particular are careful with
regard to their marital life since animals know their acts and
thoughts, and hide from one who has not made himself “clean”
by continence, its termination, and bathing. Swxetsta consists
of these three elements, but since continence is the most pro-
minent feature, the term may be translated as ‘“‘ceremonial
chastity.”

In its simplest form this comprises merely the three ele-
ments already mentioned. The longer the continence, the
greater the power engendered by its termination. A man who
has practised abstinence for a year has such strength within
himself that almost any good fortune may occur, and cases
are known in which it has been carried out for even longer
periods. More often, an individual practises ceremonial chas-
tity in accordance with a family tradition. One old man gave
the following recipe and was most emphatic that it always
brought success in hunting and fishing; he added that on the
two occasions he had tried it, he had brought back a pheno-
menal number of skins.

A person planning to set out on an expedition for any pur-