148 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

pre-adolescent children of various supernatural beings in the
land above who play together outside Nusmdt-a and refuse to
allow any man to approach them. As they circle the fire they
sing a song of which the theme is their refusal to have anything
to do with a man.

The Hermaphrodite. This being wears a mask representing
a cast of countenance midway between a “man and a woman,”
and speaks in a nasal tone difficult to describe. He circles the
fire immediately behind the twelve Sxnxnesaxs.

As the young girls are about to disappear into their en-
closure, the figure of Sxaiaxwax bursts forth from the other
and at once the Sxnxnesaéxs hurry from sight, shepherded by
the Hermaphrodite. Sxaiaxwax wears a mask representing an
ugly and licentious man and carries beneath his bear-skin
robe a partly concealed stick. He rushes around the fire as if
in pursuit of his quarry, then likewise disappears.

As before stated, the number of supernatural beings shown
depends on the wishes of X. On the occasion now being de-
scribed, the informants agreed that more had been used, but
which they were had been forgotten. Sometimes the number
is so great that all cannot appear on one night, so the unin-
itiated are expelled when the marshals think fit and the rite
continued on the following evening, making two webusam. In
either case, after the withdrawal of non-members, the kukusiut
burn the masks in the manner already described.

For the rest of the ceremonial season X behaves as if he
were recovering from a severe illness. He attends the gotim
of every Ausiut but, like Cannibals, Scratchers, and Breakers,
does not blacken his face, sits with them in the rear corners
where they are served with food before the other dancers. xX
is called upon to perform rather late on gotém nights and does
so in a feeble manner. Towards the end of the ceremonial
season, however, he has regained sufficient strength to move
around freely, though he still maintains the mien of one who
has suffered a terrifying experience. During the following
summer he must likewise remain in comparative concealment,