WINTER CEREMONIAL DANCES 79

closely guarded by his attendants, but as the noise continues,
he gradually becomes quieter and at last consents to sit down
in a certain spot with other kubusiut ranged on either hand.
After four rounds of beating, there suddenly appears beside X
the head of an eagle, wolf, or bear, according to his prerogative.
This is his cannibalistic incubus, driven from him by the suc-
cessful beating of time. The head, usually a real one, has been
carefully fixed by the carpenters, so that it can open its mouth,
move its eyes, and give other signs of life. If it is a wolf,
assistants concealed behind the row of kukusiut flanking X
wave to and fro a gigantic wolf tail, lending further realism to
the performance. The incubus vomits Pieces of meat, pre-
sumably the pieces of human flesh which X has devoured; in
reality they are morsels passed into the back of the head by
carpenters, concealed behind the row of kukusiut. The unin-
itiated see the flesh fall into a box placed before X’s feet and
watch steam arising from it, but they do not know that hot
stones have previously been laid within to cause this. As the
meat passes out through the creature’s mouth, X bends down
and bites at it like an animal (see Plate 5) while all the
kukusiut present stand up and call out ye--- four times.
After the fourth shout the animal’s head is concealed, though
the uninitiated believe that it has returned to the land above
Whence it came to enter X. The Cannibal is now tolera by
sane; his guardians no longer press so closely around him and
non-members and many of the kukusiut leave the house.
Another subterfuge to impress the uninitiated is sometimes
employed. Instead of permitting the departure of the incubus
at once, another Cannibal is chosen to receive it from X.
While two guardians hold X firmly, other kukusiut seize the
prospective recipient so that the two are standing face to face,
each held motionless. The second Cannibal stretches his head
forward and pretends to draw something from X. At once he
begins to growl and throws himself to and fro as if in frenzy,
while the uninitiated are told to leave, lest they come to harm.
They need no second invitation, especially as the new recipient