WINTER CEREMONIAL DANCES 207

verbal to physical arguments, and one occasion is remembered
when the latter was shoved from a canoe into the river.

In the evening the Aukusiut are first called in, to be fol-
lowed by the uninitiated in due course. Thunder dances in
the manner already described, though, if possible, with even
more vigour and abandon than when he was only one of the
performers in the Mystery dance. As recorded in that dance,
he performs twice, on the second occasion carrying a rattle
containing burning shreds of cedar-bark. After each circuit
of the central fire, Rainwater appears and drenches the audi-
ence, as rain accompanies a thunder-storm. The dramatic
skill displayed is always impressive, and a touch of comic
realism is added by the reiterated remarks of T#oqots who does
his utmost to belittle Thunder.

The time-beater for the expert dancer, Nixps, appears after
Rainwater. When the ceremonial is carried out with care, he
wears a skull mask to show that he is a ghost who has come
from the land below in answer to the call of Aixwolitinum. As
he beats time he sings a wordless song of the dead. The skill
of Nixps as a dancer is due to the fact that he is a yearling
mountain goat among supernatural beings. The uninitiated
look forward with eagerness to witnessing a remarkable dance,
but after a few violent contortions the performer withdraws,
followed by the musician.

It would be needless repetition to enumerate all the super-
natural beings who follow, so mention will be made only of
those who are considered especially appropriate to the Thunder
dance and who are accordingly shown on almost all occasions.
Winter Wren is a masked figure which hops about in an agile
manner similar to that of the bird on this earth, and Rabbit
likewise imitates the movements of an earthly rabbit. dnoik-
wotsaix explains to the uninitiated that Thunder would like to
taste the flesh of mortals but that he is too big and too hot to
approach them, so sends Mosquito as his messenger. The
masked figure representing that insect carries a stick about one
foot in length beneath his blanket, and runs around the house