They take the scalp of the woodpecker, which they sew together from sixty to one hundred in number, on a piece of nicely dressed buck skin, the edges also being buck skin, it looks like a plug hat. They let the ends hang as streamers at the back of the head. These are valued at from one to two hundred dollars, having red and white fringes, which makes them look very pretty. These head dresses are called Rah-gay and the scalps are called cheese, whether one or many of them. They have great strings of the long hollow shells, called cheek and turk-tum, around their necks, hanging down over the breasts to the waist. This, the most sacred of all their festivals, is held in a house and more of their wealth is displayed at this time than on any other occasion. The wealth of the whole tribe of the Klamath Indians, even the Hoopas and Smith River, and any other tribe can put in and help in this dance. Here in this dance the rich ones will turn over to the poorest of them their display of wealth and go away, leaving it in their care, our people do not use feathers but very little, less than the white people.
In the evening of the second days dancing, the Talth go back to the lodge and the Master with the girl who is a Talth, go into the lodge, and the Master puts fresh clean water into the bowl, pounds and places the walth-pay roots into it and it is ready for use. The other girls remaining in the preparation house or goes to other parts to preform when they have things fixed for them. The Master gives prayers to God while the other two Talth in authority will take the same ones, the workers, and go out for more wood, the same as the first time, coming in about nine o’clock, all in single file, led by the two Talth singing the song as they come and place the wood the same as before. Now the two Talth go inside and the lodge is opened, the Talth girl helping until all is in readiness, then the workers are called in and the Talth each take their place, the Master with his staff of the walth-pay, and the girl in her place by the Master and the workings of the lodge are gone through with as before, and kept up all night until five o’clock in the morning, when they come out and go to their homes and camps to eat. Now the dancers take up the dancing and the whole thing moves along smoothly, without a thing to mar the good times. The Talth do not take any part in the dancing, and are but seldom seen to take a look at it, and the Master does not come to see any part of it, but if he does, he just passes on, laughing joking and jesting with all the men and women and they are more than glad to see him.
The Talth call each other brothers, and the girls sisters, and the word brother and sister is used a great deal among these people.
When the lodge is working in its secret part of the order, there is a guard stationed at the door on the outside to keep others from hearing or entering. In the evening of every second day they open the lodge until the dance has run for eight days, when they open the lodge in the same way, in the evening for the fifth and last time. The Master and the girl go into the lodge, while the two Talth and the workers go and get the wood, coming back at nine o’clock, then the same performance is gone through with, ending about five o’clock in the morning, then all the worker are expelled from the lodge and go to the dance house and make the fire, burn the incense roots, sweep and clean the house for the last two days of the festival. The three Talth and the girl remain in the lodge and finish the winding up ceremonies of the lodge for the dance, after which the bowl, staff and other emblems and tools are placed in their secret hiding places so that them who are Talth know where to find them, then they come out and go to their homes to eat, sleep and rest. Now the last two days of the dance commences, and the finest of dresses and the most valuable of articles are used, all the riches are brought out, showing which are the most wealthy of family, some of which have long records dating back for generations, telling how the family first started in prominence, and up to the present time. This festival is held for the purpose and equality of the whole people together, the rich, the poor and the slave, make themselves come together in peace and harmony as one family and to make the poor and the slave feel that there is some good to live for, and more and above all to make them warriors, that none dare scorn. That if any other tribe dare to violate the laws of humanity, such as to mutilate the dead by scalping and other ways, which the Klamaths would not tolerate for a moment, and by the Talth to keep and preserve their old and ancient teachings of the sacred order which has been handed down to them through the ages, which they say has never been, through it all, down to where it is now. They say that a number of times it has been low, yet there was enough to revive and bring it back to its proper place, so as not to loose it in its secret parts and keep it up. At the end of ten days the dance, late in the evening closes and the people scatter in all directions, while the rich families, that have so many women to help in preparing the food, and some with children, and so much wealth to move, will keep their camp open until the next day, and some for two days longer, until they can get everything ready for moving home.
THE LODGE DANCE.
CHAPTER XII.
OUR CHRIST.