Tsimshian Mythology

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 Excerpt: ...whistles are heard in the room. A few hours after this the marching-song of the Cannibal is started. The drum is beaten in a five-part rhythm,2 and he comes forward and dances. This time he wears no mask, only around his neck a heavy ring of cedar bark dyed red, on his head a ring of cedar bark about six inches wide, and on his hands and feet bark rings about four inches wide. While he is dancing around the fire, some one says, 'Now get ready!' and all the people who are covered by the matting make ready to run out. As soon as the singers mention the name of Haialilaqs, he becomes excited, throws off his grizzly-bear skin and his rings, and rushes against the people. Then his attendants take hold of him again and allow him to bite them, men as well as women. During this time the people run out. After four days more, the members of the Cannibal Society make another pole like the first one, and place it above the door of their house, and they stretch a rope (?)3 thirty or forty feet across the street to keep the people away from the door of their house. If any one should walk under this rope outside of their hall, they catch him, take him in, and kill him, if he does not join their society. If he is not killed and does not promise to join the society, one of his relatives will die in his place. 1 This passage In Mr. Tate's description is not quite clear. VIJ J / I J J / I etc. This passage is not quite clear. It may be that a pole is stretched across the street. "After four days more, very early in the morning, the members of the company sing for nearly two hours. At the end of the songs they continue to beat their drums and planks for a little while. Then they pause and beat again. This is repeated four times. The fourth time they beat a little longer, ...