232 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

Cannibal begins to growl and soon the kukusiut ave left alone -
in the house. The singers beat out a new song for X and the
ritual continues like that of any other dsuxtémem. No descrip-
tion is needed for the ceremonial that occurs on nusiutalsap
and gotim.

On the evening of edusam the uninitiated are summoned
in due course. The exact number of masked figures shown
could not be learnt, but among them is always an octopus.
The rite concludes in the usual manner.

The presents given in connection with the Octopus dance
are more valuable than those bestowed at most kusiut rituals,
accordingly none but wealthy people are able to carry it out.
The heralds especially are always beneficiaries.

THE DANCE OF THE DARK-SHADE

One of the most peculiar and irregular of kusiut dances is
that performed by a certain Kalgam, whom it will be conven-
jent to call X. His patron is the supernatural woman Sécqwast-
lustkwi, Dark-Shade, whose home is beneath the thick ever-
greens of the river valleys, thus explaining the darkness and
shadows found in such places. X’s repository is beneath some
large cedars near the northern side of the Bella Coola valley,
a few hundred yards above the end of the fiord; it is probable
that other dancers with the same patron have repositories in
other dark and gloomy spots.

When X wishes to dance he must as usual obtain consent
from the marshals who insist that he delay his performance
until after the solstice at earliest. The reason is because his
patron, Dark-Shade, alone of all supernatural beings, has the
power to open every repository; X brings her to the village and
in consequence calls come to many kukusiut,!°° which would
be undesirable during the first few weeks of the season. On
the evening of the day selected for the beginning of the dance,
X steals away from the village with three or four kukusiut,

10°The implication in this case is that calls come from repositories, not from the
land above, the customary source.