144 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

of the darker hue of the inner part of the wood. His nose and
forehead are wrinkled as if in deep thought. Masks of many
other supernatural beings and animals have been made, in-
cluding two which are reserved for kusiotem dances alone. The
first of these is X’s patron, Kudstkakmidjut, who is capable of
having his stomach cut. A face mask is made for him of the
usual human type, and in addition a wooden stomach with a
slit which can be moved by strings to display entrails painted
on a frame beneath. The second distinctive mask is that of
Ogotikts Atquntéim, the herald of Atguntém. Above his mask
is fastened a bird, made of wood, the wings of which can be
made to flap by pulling on a cord which runs down under the
wearer’s blanket. He carries a staff, decorated with alternate
spiral bands of dyed and undyed cedar-bark and crowned with
another wooden bird likewise provided with flapping wings.
By the time the masks have been adjusted it is quite dark.

The uninitiated, listening from their houses, hear first the
frantic, but measured, beating of sticks that always accom-
panies a curing ceremony. Then O@otikis leaves X’s house,
followed by all the kukusiut who have danced the same year
and accordingly wear dyed cedar-bark collars, and many others
as well. The party goes to the bottom house of the village
where Ogotikts pounds on the floor with his staff and cries out:

Xwo---.

The Rusiut chosen to wear this mask is one who has power-
ful lungs. The heralds, always in attendance, echo his words
and explain to the wondering uninitiated who their super-
natural visitor is, and that this is the way he summons the super-
natural beings to the dances in the land above. Odgozikts causes
the wings of his birds to flap, the party moves to the next
house, and thence in succession to every one in the village
before returning to X’s. After a short delay the uninitiated
hear another crash of the frenzied beating of sticks, and again
Ogotikts parades to every house in the village. On this, his
second round, his announcement is:

“T act as herald; prepare to come.”’