ON THE NORTH-WESTERN TRIBES OF CANADA. 27

a profound secret, and, if a man dared to speak about it he was torn to
pieces by the K-uk'k’’é'lefi, about whom I have to speak presently. Only
rich people can become members of the QEnyani'tzl, as heavy payments
are exacted at the initiation. If the father of the novice is not able to
pay them, his relatives must contribute to the amount required. The
initiation and the festivals of this society take place in winter only. When
a young man is to be initiated his father first invites the Qenqani’txl to
a feast which lasts five days. During these days mask dances are per-
formed, which those who are not members of the society are also per-
mitted to witness. They occupy one side of the house in which the
festivities take place, while the QEnqani'trl occupy the other. The latter
wear head-ornaments of cedar-bark and have their hair strewn with down.
The faces of all those who take part in the festival are blackened. At the
end of these days the father of the novice invites four men to bathe his
son in the sea. One of them must wash his body, one must wash his
head, and the two others hold him. In return they receive one or two
blankets each. During this ceremony the K‘uk’k’’é'lei, who are described
as ‘wild men,’ dance around the novice. They have ropes tied around
their waists, and are heid by other members of the society by these ropes.
Then the QEngani’tel lead the novice into the woods, where he remains
for along time, until he meets the spirit who initiates him. It seems that
during this time he is secretly led to the house in which the Qrenqani’tzl
continue to celebrate festivals at the expense of the novice’s father, and
there he is taught the secrets of the society. During this time, until the
return of the novice from the woods, the house is tabooed. A watchman
is stationed at the entrance, who keeps out uninitiated persons. During
the absence of the novice his mother prepares cedar-bark ornaments and
weaves mountain-goat blankets for his use. One afternoon he returns,
and then his father gives a feast to let the people know that his child has
returned. The latter performs his first dance, in which he uses masks
and cedar-bark ornaments. ‘This dance is called Nuqnza/men. On this
day the father must distribute a great number of blankets among the
Qengani'trl. The uninitiated are permitted to take part in the feast, and
sit on one side of the house. The new member spends all his nights in
the woods, where he bathes. In spring the new member, if a man, is
thrown into the sea, and after that is free from all regulations attending
the initiation. One of the principal regulations regarding novices of the
Qrngani'tul is that they must return from the woods in the direction in
which the sun is moving, starting so that the sun is at their backs. There-
fore they must sometimes go in roundabout ways. They must go back-
ward through doors which are séld'lzk'am against them (see below).
Frequently the si/6ua is called to bespeak the door in their behalf before
they pass through it. Before their dance the si/dua must also address the
earth, as it is supposed that else it might open and swallow up the dancer.
It is also stla'lzk'am against the novice. ‘lhe expression used is that the
earth would ‘open its eyes’ (k’u'nalasen), that means, swallow the novice.
In order to avert this danger the si/oua must ‘ give name to the earth’ and
strew red paint and feathers over the place where the novice is to dance.

RELIGION AND SHAMANISM.

All the tribes of the Coast Salish, from Comox to Puget Sound,
believe in the Great Transformer, who is called Kumsnd’otl (=our elder

fm tngnséi

TRESE & SSSeSSs —2SS KAAS eas

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