216 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

X’s, where he is soothed by the four times repeaced frenzied
beating of sticks and his call returned whence it came.

During the rest of the ceremonial season X becomes mad
at intervals and displays his insanity by rushing to every house
and throwing dirt and sand. His kukusiut escort is always
with him, and the procedure is identical with that already
recorded. X makes no recompense for the damage inflicted,
so it is probable that his fellows do not regard his dance as an
unmitigated pleasure, but nothing can be done to deter him
from exercising his prerogative.

THE DANCE OF THE SUPERNATURAL CHARMER

Although the Bella Coola are probably as moral as members
of any other tribe, they enjoy humour of an obscene nature,
and a dance which never fails to provide amusement is that of
the Supernatural Charmer. The patron of this is Sximsximut,
a beautiful, unmarried, feminine being who is also termed
Atiqman-t and Nuxkmdlsaix. She is thought to disregard the
efforts of her supernatural relatives to restrain her, and comes
to this earth where she bestows her favours not only on human
beings, but on animals. Her protégé at Kimsquit is a young
man, £dlaiuks, at Bella Coola, a young woman, Kwalakmus;
like all other Ausiut names these can be used either by men or
women. It is said that Ed/aiuks’s prerogative is derived from
the experience of an ancestor in past ages, whereas that of
Kwalakms was initiated three generations ago by a very pow-
erful chief. The ritual in each case is identical, so the dancer
can be referred to as X. Each has the prerogative of singing
not only of Sximsximut, but also of the being known as Win-
wintumak. Many masks are required at the zebusam of either
of these beings, so it is customary for X to perform with respect
to Sximsximudt one year, and to Winwintiumak at the next or 4
subsequent ceremonial season, though the actual songs always
refer to both patrons.

When X wishes to dance he consults the marshals, obtains
their consent, and then makes final arrangements on, normally,