ON THE NORTH-WESTERN TRIBES OF CANADA. 43

in grasping it receives a few blankets from the girl’s father. Then a
horizontal pole is fastened at one end, swinging freely at the other. The
men belonging to the groom’s party have to try to walk down to the
swinging end, and whoever succeeds receives blankets from the girl’s
father. Heavy weights are lifted; they try who is the best jumper. A
blanket with a hole in tke centre is hung up, and men walk up to it
blindfolded from a distance of about twenty steps. When they get near
it they must point with their fingers towards the blanket, and try to hit
the hole. They also climb a pole, on top of which an eagle’s nest, or
something representing a eagle’s nest, is placed. The winner of each
game receives a number of blankets from the girl’s father. When the
games are at an end the groom’s father distributes blankets among the
other party. Now they are allowed to take the girl with them. A man,
dressed up as a wolf or a whale, leads the party, and they follow him in
Indian file, going around in a circle, the left hand being on the inner
side (that is, opposite to the course of the sun). They take the girl to
their house, and give a great feast. After a while the bride’s father
gives a feast to his son-in-law, who returns it after a short time, and
thus they continue to feast, sometimes for a whole year. Then the bride’s
relatives return all that was paid to them at the marriage ceremony.
The wolf’s head which was thrown into the girl’s house is always
returned at once.

The child belongs to that sept which is considered the nobler. If, for
instance, the mother is a Ts’éca/ath, the father a Kuai'ath, the child will
be a Ts’éca’ath. Cousins and second cousins are not allowed to inter-
marry, but there is no restriction against marriages between members of
the same gens.

I have nothing of importance to add to Sproat’s description of the
mortuary ceremonies, except that the names of the deceased must not be
mentioned. Mourners cut their hair short ; but while among the Lku’igrn
the nearer relatives cut it shorter than the others, among the Nootka
all cut it equally short. The women wail early in the morning.

RELIGION AND SHAMANISM.

The mythology of the Nootka refers to two men who descended from
heaven and transformed the semi-human beings of the ancient world
into men and animals.! They are called Kwéka’stucsup, 2.e., the trans-
formers, and are said to have taught men to worship the deity in heaven.
The name of the deity is kept a profound secret from the common people.
Only chiefs are allowed to pray to him, and the dying chief tells the
name, which is Ka’tse (7.e., the grandchild) to his heir, and teaches him
how to pray to the deity. No offerings are made to Ka’tse; he is only
prayed to. Ina tradition of the Nootka it is stated that a boy prayed to
a being in heaven called Ciciklé, who is probably identical with Ka’tse.
The boy is described as praying, his arms being thrown upward. Ordt-
narily the Nootka pray to the sun and the moon for health, or, as_ the
expression in their language is, for life and the well-being of their
children. The moon especially is asked for food and for good luck in
hunting. Both are believed to have human shape. Besides these higher
deities, the Nootka believe the whole of nature to be animated. The
rainbow was originally a man, and still retains much of his power.

! See Swan, Zhe Indians of Cape Flattery, p. 64.

o
BAS