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200 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

kukusiut send back X’s call in the usual manner. Then, two by two, the masks are cast on to the fire and the ceremonial is over.

THE DANCE OF THE TALLY POSTS

As previously described, a tally post is erected in the land above for every Bella Coola at birth. As long as this memorial is upright and firm, the individual to whom it refers enjoys health and prosperity, but if it becomes crooked he falls ill. The uninitiated believe that several kukusiut have the pre- rogative of climbing to the land above during the ceremonial season and straightening leaning tally posts. This is such a useful ability that it must have exercised great influence on the uninitiated in early days, but the rite has not been properly carried out since the smallpox epidemic in the last century. The following account was obtained from two old men who remembered the manner in which a certain Onikot? of Tc.mot? performed a year or two before “The Great Sickness.” Neither of the informants was a kusiut at the time, but they were able to supplement their recollections of the dance with what they afterwards learnt when initiated, so the following account is probably accurate in outline though deficient in detail. It will be convenient to refer to the dancer as X, and describe the ceremony in the present tense. It was also per- formed at Kimsquit many years ago.

The rite resembles kusiotem dances in many respects. X must obtain the consent of the marshals during the preceding summer, and their permission is refused unless the prospective dancer is a man of proved discretion. If they agree, X asks a number of kukusiut women to help him by making a very long and strong rope of nettle fibre. At intervals the work-women gather for the purpose in the back-room of X’s house, taking care that no uninitiated see what they are doing. Every effort is made to ensure that there is no flaw in the rope as a break would be a serious matter, punishable by death.

Near the winter solstice the marshals choose a suitable time