SKAI AND THE DANCING BEAR 143

his tribe had accumulated over a long period of time
was given away to the visitors, because it was felt
that the more a chief gave away, the more fame aud
honor was attached to his name. This loss of wealth by
the tribe was but temporary, however, since the chief
who had been guest of honor at the potlatch was com-
pelled by custom to invite his host to a similar cele-
bration, at which gifts worth two or three times as
much as those received by him and his people must be
returned.

Sometimes only those of a certain crest were in-
vited to a potlatch; sometimes the inhabitants of an
entire village were entertained royally for days. In
any case, a very great deal of food was eaten.
Usually, chests of dried berries, wild crab-apples and
cranberries preserved in olachen grease, roe of
salmon and herring, smoked fish, and other delicacies
were kept on hand for these feast times. In addition
every one in the village worked for weeks in advance
of the potlatch time. The men fished and hunted; the
women picked berries, gathered seaweed, and
searched for clams and crabs along the beaches, so
that often the village was deserted by all except the
old people and children, and a few slaves.

As the celebration drew near, the excitement in
Quasset rose daily, and every one, even the slaves
and children, worked long and willingly to make
ready for the great event. Quantities of game and
fish and berries were stored in the houses, there were