98 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

takes one of the beating sticks and starts as if he were going
to act as leader of his own orchestra. As before, however, he
becomes frenzied and goes off into a wild spasm of beating,
while all present call out 4oip to soothe him. As no unini-
tiated are present, someone usually acts as a substitute for the
Cannibal. A marshal now takes the stick away from X, or
his substitute, and gives it to the proper leader, so that the
song shall not be “lost” through the imbecility of X. The
singers chant it over with everyone joining in. By this time
it is evening and food is distributed, while marshals in turn
give good advice. When the meal is ended the people adjourn.

Later on in the evening all the kukusiut are called back to
X’s house; when they have taken their places, the uninitiated
are summoned and range themselves near the door. The
musicians sing X’s song, accompanied by the kukusiut, while
X acts as if he were trying to dance but is forcibly restrained
by his assistants, so that he can do no more than sway back
and forth in their arms. The non-members, terrified lest he
should escape and bite them, often withdraw before the
completion of the song, and under no circumstances remain
after it has been sung. The time has now come for X to eat,
and a shaman is called upon to feed the recalcitrant Cannibal.
The elaborate means previously described are tried, but with-
out avail. X cries hoip, dashes outside with a few followers
and proceeds, growling and baying, to every house in the vil-
lage, effectively wakening and impressing the uninitiated, who
have long been asleep. On his return to his own house, all the
kukusiut help him to lie down by pressing downwards on his
chest with cries of hoif and yelele, meaning, “All right.”
After some time X answers by saying ye/ele; he lies down,
and the others leave.

X is now supposed to remain on his platform for four days,
although actually he merely takes care not to be seen by any
uninitiated. On the fifth morning a herald goes through the
village calling out,

Axwildnap X.