108 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

next day the weather was fine. This particular method of
praying had been learnt by one of his ancestors in the begin-
ning of time, and was afterwards transmitted in his family.
With the coming of the white man and consequent decay of
customs, it has not been exercised since the death of the grand-
father of the man from whom the information was obtained.

SACRIFICE

It might be expected that a clear division should be made
between the subjects of prayer and sacrifice, but in practice
they merge into one another. A mountain goat hunter, when
camped near a glacier which he knows to be the haunt of some
dreaded supernatural being, asks help from him. He wears
dyed and undyed cedar-bark decorations to make his request
more ceremonious, and after the prayer throws them into the
fire, saying:

“Please accept these, supernatural one,” thus making an
offering to supplement his verbal petition.

If he is even more cautious, or eager not to offend any
supernatural being in the vicinity, he throws on the fire tufts
of cedar-bark, eagle down, and scraps of food as well. Whether
or not the objects thus destroyed by the flames reach the being
to whom the request has been made, is a matter upon which
the Bella Coola do not theorize; but the generosity and self-
denial of the donor is appreciated, and a favour is often granted
in return. A man who frequently hears in his dreams the
voice of some supernatural being, knows that it is taking an
interest in his doings and endeavours to propitiate it, by placing
on a fire titbits of any food he has obtained, saying at the same
time:

“Wai, wat, wai,’ “More, more, more,” that is, “May I
receive more of the same.”

A foolish person fails to show his appreciation of favours
received, but a wise man never forgets to do so.

Likewise a person is careful to propitiate supernatural
powers when in peril. Both at Kwatna and at Mesatche Nose,