# Journal of American Folk-Lore/Volume 13/Issue 49/Bibliographical Notes

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.
BOOKS.
The Mythology of the Bella Coola Indians. By Franz Boas. (Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History. Vol. II. Anthropology. I. The Jesup North Pacific Expedition.) November, 1898. Pp. 127. Plates vii.–xii.
The brief work which forms the second issue of these magnificent memoirs adds a remarkable chapter to the mental history of American races. The Bilxula, or by euphonic alteration Bella Coola, a small tribe linguistically belonging to the Salishan family, inhabit the coasts of Dean Inlet and Bentinck Arm, two fiords situated in about latitude 52° north. At the present time, disease has reduced the tribe to a few hundred souls. The peculiarity of the mythology is described as its systematic character, in contrast with the usually unsystematic form of mythologies belonging to the northwest coast.
The Bella Coola cosmogony assumes five worlds, a middle earth between two heavens and two hells. In the centre of the lower heaven is the house of the gods, called "The House of Myths," whence descends animate life. In this heaven the sun moves on a trail over a bridge; in the summer he keeps to one side, in the winter to the other, and the bridge is wide enough to explain his annual variation. The solar rays are his eyelashes. This heaven is accessible from mountains. In some part (where is not mentioned) is a skyhole, permitting to winged creatures passage to the upper ​heaven. This is conceived as a treeless prairie; a great wind continually blows, and sweeps all things toward the house of the goddess who here reigns, and who in the beginning acted as a world-maker, warring with the mountains, and reducing their height. In this heaven is also a river (perhaps the milky way?) which flows through the lower heaven, and by ascending which the upper sky may be gained. The earth floats as an island in an ocean, and is moored by stone ropes fast to a stone bar held by a giant. When he is tired, his movements cause earthquakes. The first hell or underworld is the region of ghosts; these, it is stated, cannot return to the earth (but their world may be visited by shamans). A peculiar feature is a rope ladder, communicating with the first heaven, whither the ghosts may ascend, and be once more sent down to earth from the house of the gods, to be reborn in the same families. Not all ghosts, however, feel the desire to ascend; some are content with their lot, and sink to the lower hell, where in the end they suffer a second and final death.
How far is this elaborate cosmology peculiar to the Bella Coola, how far in part the property of other races? In his account of the Kwakiutl, contained in the Report of the National Museum for 1895 (Washington, 1897), Dr. Boas does not elucidate their cosmogonic ideas, and perhaps these are not very distinct. However, we note one or two correspondences. Thus, with regard to the winds of the upper region, we find that in the sacred dance of the Nā′naqaualil (Report, p. 471), the movements of the dancers and the lively motions of their blankets represent the effect of the winds of the higher atmosphere, the region in which the original initiation is supposed to take place. So with the Bella Coola, the spirit who initiated the ancestor of the tribe Se′nxlemx, and whose proper abode is the lower heaven, takes the youth into the upper heaven, where a wind blows the two to the house of Qama′its, the goddess of that region (Mythology, p. 35). Again, with regard to the rebirth of ghosts, we are told in a particular song of the Kwakiutl that the dancer for whom the words were modified was considered as the reincarnation of her deceased brother (Report, p. 485). The Bella Coola take the moon in eclipse to be painted black for the sake of the rites; now with the Kwakiutl we find the blackened moon represented by a dancer (Report, p. 455). So the idea of a floating earth seems familiar; at least we read of a fabulous people supposed to live on a floating island (p. 468). With the Kwakiutl, the great cannibal spirit lives in the north, but in the sky, where his post is the Milky Way (p. 459). With the Bella Coola a similar spirit has only a room in the House of Myths, which is placed in the zenith. The sun-house, one would think, should be in the east; and in heaven should be many houses. The Bella Coola may have brought these various habitations into one. With the Kwakiutl we find the phrase "centre of the world" used poetically, as representing that spot which is the centre of divine life, without regard to the direction of the compass (Report, p. 457). May it not be that this has originally been the case with the House of Myths?
The winter ceremonial of the Bella Coola is plainly identical with that of other tribes. These rites are initiatory as respects the youth, histori​cal as regards the representation of ancestral experience; the underlying idea is that the person seeking initiation must live in the wilderness, where he will be visited by one of the spirits belonging to his clan, from whom he may obtain supernatural power, and in whom he will find a divine helper. That the ceremonies are connected with cannibalism has naturally led civilized observers to an erroneous conception of their significance.
With respect to the origin of the beliefs and practices, general remarks are offered. Dr. Boas has done more than any other investigator to show the interfoliation of American myths and rites, and the effect of culture contact in producing continual and often rapid diffusion. He has made the existence of this process so evident, that doubt must be set down as an exhibition of ignorance or prejudice. It is plain that the several tribes have appropriated a mass of tales, customs, doctrines, which have come to them from without, or which are communicated from one to another. Such reception does not exclude mental reaction on the material; the borrowers bestow on the information an interpretation answering to their state of mind, and to this extent the ideas or usages may be considered as an independent expression of mentality, irrespective of originally foreign derivation. The materials of the structure being supplied, these may be elaborated to an edifice built up by ingenuity and free speculation; this Dr. Boas supposes to have been the case with the Bella Coola, who from whatever reason appear to have systematized their mythology to an unusual degree. We cite the concluding words of the account:—
"The mind of the Bella Coola philosopher, operating with the class of knowledge common to the earlier strata of culture, has reached conclusions similar to those that have been formed by man the world over, when operating with the same class of knowledge. On the other hand, the Bella Coola has also adopted ready-made the thoughts of his neighbors, and has adapted them to his environment. These two results of our inquiry emphasize the close relation between the comparative and the historic methods of ethnology, which are so often held to be antagonistic. Each is a check upon rash conclusions that might be attained by the application of one alone. It is just as uncritical to see, in an analogy of a single trait of culture that occurs in two distinct regions, undoubted proof of early historical connection as to reject the possibility of such connection, because sometimes the same ideas develop independently in the human mind. Ethnology is rapidly outgrowing the tendency to accept imperfect evidence as proof of historical connection; but the comparative ethnologist is hardly beginning to see that he has no right to scoff at the historical method. Our inquiry shows that safe conclusions can be derived only by a careful analysis of the whole culture."
W. W. Newell.
​The Thompson Indians of British Columbia. By James Teit. Edited by Franz Boas. (Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History. Vol. II. Anthropology. The Jesup North Pacific Expedition. IV.) April, 1900. Pp. 163–392. Plates xiv.–xx.
This memoir relates to the same tribe whose traditions, also gathered by Mr. Teit, and supplied with an introduction by Dr. Boas, have been published as the sixth volume of the Memoirs of the American Folk-Lore Society. The account, exhibiting intimate knowledge of the people, is an excellent example of what such a record should be. The manufactures, households, dress, means of subsistence, warfare, pastime, and art of the tribe are clearly explained and fully illustrated. In this notice can only be remarked statements in regard to life and folk-lore which may serve to supplement the information given in the Memoir of this Society.
The cosmogony of the Thompsons presents some analogies to the more elaborate system of the Bella Coola. The earth is supposed to have a square form, the corners being toward the cardinal points. The centre is naturally on the Thompson River, being at Lytton (Traditions, p. 104). The land rises toward the north, hence rivers flow southward; the earth is level in the middle, but mountainous near the edge. It is surrounded by water, forming a sort of ocean-stream, according to the plan of a native (p. 343). The upper world, as shown in the Traditions, is regarded as a prairie of steep-sided plateau over which constantly blows a cold wind (as with the upper heaven of the Bella Coola). The stars are transformed persons who are rooted in the sky. No account of the trail of the sun is here given; but the sun-house is described as situated in the far east (Traditions, p. 110). In regard to star-lore, we find the widely diffused story of the bear and the hunters, elsewhere remarked in the present number of this Journal. The three stars of the handle of the Dipper pursue the Grizzly Bear; the first is swift, the second is accompanied by a dog (the companion star), the third is timid. We find the idea that rain and snow are caused by the natural operations of a deity who lives in the sky or upper mountains j the like opinion exists even among modern Greeks, and is responsible for the impersonal character, in the Latin language, of verbs relating to the weather.
An interesting account of the ghostland is given. In regard to the manner of approach, ideas vary; such was the case also with Greeks. One opinion makes it necessary in the first instance to voyage over the intervening sea, then to follow a trail on which are stationed wise guardians to repel the approach of over-hasty souls, then to cross a river by a log (the very common bridge of the dead). The spirit comes to a moundlike lodge, which is entered on the eastern side; emerging from the western gate, it arrives in the land of souls, which has the usual characteristics of paradises, in possessing perpetual sunshine, an equable climate, and spontaneous fertility. Now appears a curious piece of speculation, whether or not original with the Thompsons; the soul like the man has its shadow, and this is the ghost, that stays behind on earth, either for a brief term or many ​years. Ghosts are naked or clothed, and light gray in color. The blue fires sometimes seen near graves are their breath. They may be shot with an arrow, and in such case shriek and evanesce, leaving behind some relic to show what part of the body was struck, and then return to the place where the corpse has been laid. Fortunately for the living, they never leave trail, so that to escape their pursuit it is only necessary to turn aside. All persons go to the land of souls, except those who are drowned, respecting whose fate exists a difference of opinion. Some think that a good man reaches the spirit-country much sooner than a bad one. As to rebirth, this takes place chiefly with the souls of infants. But as such belief is said to be on the wane, it seems likely enough that formerly reincarnation may have been very much more common, as above remarked in relation to the Bella Coola. The souls of Christians do not go by the old trail, but ascend to the sky, where they confess to a chief; respecting their ultimate destiny there is difference of opinion. Suicides do not get to the land of souls, but disappear. Sickness may be due to the taking away of the soul, and in this case a shaman must be sent in pursuit within two days, or it will be too late. The shaman examines the graveyards till he finds the track of an escaping soul, and takes advantage of a shorter route in order to intercept it. Having caught the soul, he takes flight, pursued by the other souls, whom, however, he scares away with his rattle, or clubs off.
In regard to the ethical character of the faith of this people, it is stated that some elderly man of a household, or some chief, would often speak until late at night, admonishing and advising the youth, and giving them the results of his experience and his own ideas of the future life. It is interesting to observe that prayers were habitually offered to the Dawn; every morning one of the oldest members of the household acted as priest, to the extent of issuing at daybreak, and offering such prayer. In certain cases the Dawn was supposed to be able to heal, if addressed through the medium of an adolescent girl (maidenhood as the embodiment of innocence?). "O Day-Dawn! thy child relies on me to obtain healing from thee, who art mystery. Remove thou the swelling of thy child. Pity him, O Day-Dawn!" Nor is prayer confined to material blessings. Thus, when the first fruits (berries, roots) are eaten, the Sunflower Root is accosted. "I inform thee that I intend to eat thee. Mayest thou always help me to ascend, so that I may always be able to reach the tops of mountains, and may I never be clumsy! I ask this from thee, Sunflower Root. Thou are the greatest of all in mystery." Of course the Sunflower is holy, because it turns toward the light. Thus we have in this especially untutored and simple people the germ of light-worship in its higher aspect. To develop such ideas into a religion of the higher order needed only a series of literati, able to coordinate and exclude. This treatise, like every account of the sort, serves to show that the explanation of the human mind is to be found in the ideas most primitive of existing races.
W. W. Newell.
JOURNALS.
1. American Anthropologist. (Washington.) Vol. II. No. 1, January–March, 1900. The lessons of folk-lore. J. W. Powell.—Mayan time systems and time symbols. C. Thomas.—Linguistic families of Mexico. O. T. Mason.—Oriental influences in Mexico. W. Hough.—The study of primitive music. C. K. Wead.—The new-fire ceremony in Walpi. J. W. Fewkes.—The Toara ceremony of the Dippil tribes of Queensland. R. H. Mathews.—The lords of the night and the Tonalamatl of the Codex Borbonicus. C. P. Bowditch.—Book reviews.—Periodical literature.—Notes and news.
2. The American Antiquarian. (Chicago.) Vol. XXII. No. 1, January–February, 1900. In Memoriam of Dr. D. G. Brinton. A. F. Chamberlain.—No. 2, March–April. The evolution of ethics. C. W. Super.—Anthropological notes. A. F. Chamberlain.—No. 3, May–June. The archaeology of ethical ideas. C. F. Super.
3. The Land of Sunshine. (Los Angeles.) Vol. XII. No. 4, March, 1900. The cities of the dead. Washington Matthews.
4. The Southern Workman. (Hampton, Va.) Vol. XXIX. No. 3, March, 1900. Alabama folk-lore. S. H. Showers.
5. Folk-Lore. (London.) Vol. XL No. I, March, 1900. The legends of Krishna. W. Crooke.—Annual report of the Council.—Presidential address. Totemism and some recent discoveries. E. S. Hartland.—Reviews: works of H. M. Chadwick, The cult of Othin; A. C. Lyall, Asiatic studies; E. Durkheim, L'année sociologique; H. Balfour, The natural history of the musical bow; A. Manwaring, Marathi proverbs; T. K. Cheyne and J. S. Black, Encyclopædia biblica; J. Mathew, Eaglehawk and crow; J. Bolte, R. Köhler Kleinere schriften.—Correspondence: Alphabet used in consecrating a church. Giants in pageants. Customs relating to iron. The Little Red Hen.—Miscellanea: Dorset folk-lore. Folk-tales from the Ægæan. Medical superstition in Cyprus. Exposition Universelle (Paris) de 1900.—Bibliography.—Rules and list of members.
6. The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. (London.) Vol. II. Nos. 1 and 2, August–November, 1899. The secret societies of West Africa. {A. P. F. Marriott.—Ju-ju laws and customs in the Niger Delta. C. N. de Candi.
7. Journal Asiatique. (Paris.) Vol. XV. No. 1, January–February, 1900. La légende de Sateh Boghra Khan et l'histoire. Grenard.
8. Le Courrier de Livre. (Quebec.) Vol. IV. No. 47, February, 1900. French Canadian songs. R. Renault.
9. Mélusine. (Paris.) Vol. X. No. I, January–February, 1900. L'inspiration verbale. E. Ernault.—Saint Expédit. IV. Au tribunal bollandiste. R. Gaidoz.—Contes d'animaux du Lavedan. I. Les aventures du chat et de l'agneau. M. Camelat.—La fascination. J. Tuchmann.—Dictons et proverbes bretons. E. Ernault.
10. Revue de l'histoire des religions. (Paris.) Vol. XLI. No. 1, January–February, 1900. Sur le prétendu monothéisme des anciens Chinois. M. Courant.—Notes sur l'Islam—Maghribin—les marabouts. E. Dantté.
11. Revue des Traditions Populaires. (Paris.) Vol. XV. No. 1, January. 1900. Traditions populaires des Roumains. X.–XVIII. A. Gorovel.—Traditions et anciennes coutumes du pays messin. A. Benoist.—Les villes englouties. XLI. Savoie. L. Jacquot.—Contes et légendes arabes. (Continued in Nos. 2, 3.) R. Basset. No. 2, February. Folk-lore de Tahiti et des îles voi​sines (1829–1898). (Continued in No. 3.) J. Agostini.—Contes et légendes de la Haute-Bretagne. XX. La petite oie.—No. 3, February. Trois contes cambodgiens. A. Leclère.—Folk-lore des Romains de la Hongri. O. Mailland.}
12. Volkskunde. (Ghent.) Vol. XII. Nos. 6–7, 1899. Het huwelijk (Oude Vlaamsche gebruiken). A. Van Werveke.—(Continued in Nos. 8, 9.) Nos. 8, 9. Volkstaal en volksgeloof.
13. Wallonia. (Liège.) Vol. VIII. No. 2, February, 1900. Le latin et l'humour populaire. J. Defrecheux.—Moyens abusifs pour reconnaitre les sorciers. E. Matthieu. No. 3, March. Les fêtes de Mars, à Ardenne. R. Dusépulchre.—Le folk-lore de Spa. X. Enfantines et jeux. A. Body.—No. 4, April. Légende de la belle dame au cochon. L. Delattre.—Le jeu de crosse au pays de Charleroi. J. Dewert.—Le culte de St. Gérard a Jehay en Hesbaye. J. Schoenmakers. Sauteuses. Formulettes de jeux. O. Colson.
14. Bulletin de la Société Neuchâteloise de Geographie. Les Yezidi ou les adorateurs du Diable. J. Spiro.—A propos de la polyandrie chez les Thibetains. E. Pitard.
15. Schweizerisches Archiv für Volkskunde. (Zurich.) Vol. IV. No. 1, 1900. Die henker und scharfrichter als volks und viehärzte seit ausgang des mittelalters. F. Heinemann.—Volkstümliches aus dem Frei- und Kelleramt. S. Meier.—Volkstümliche notizen. A. Kuchler.—Das Berner "Matten-Englisch." Umfrage. E. Hoffmann-Krayer.—Autres cloches, autres sons. E. Muret.—Miszellen.—Bücheranzeigen.
16. Archivio per lo Studio Delle Tradizioni Popolari. (Palermo.) Vol. XVIII. No. 4, 1900. Credenze popolari toscane. R. Nerucci.—Lu conzu: attrezzi ed usi per la pesca fluviale in Sicilia. P. Viola.—Impronte maravigliose in Italia. G. B. Corsi.—L'arte dei negri.—Usi e costumi dei zolfatari in Sicilia. F. Pulci.—Proverbi e modi proverbiali riguardanti persone e cose di Sicilia. S. Ragguglia.—Nuovi motti dialogati veronesi. A. Balladoro.—Canzonette infantili veronesi. A. Trotter.—Sedici canti raccolti in Tegiano. G. Amalfi.—Le feste dell' Assunta in Messina descritti dai viaggiatori italiani e stranieri. M. Pitrè.—Usi nuziali di popoli primitivi.—Gerghi, frasi furbesche e modi di dire nel dialetto torinese. A. Viriglio.—Motti dialogati senesi. G. B. Corsi.—Le campane del comune di Pavia. G. Filippini. Miscellanea.—Rivista bibliografica.—Bulletino bibliografico.—Recenti pubblicazioni.—Sommario dei giornali.—Notizie varie.
17. A Tradição. (Serpa, Portugal.) Vol. I. No. 12, 1899 Danças populares do Baixo-Alemtejo. D. Nunes.—Therapeutica mystica. L. Picarra.—Lendas e romances. A. T. Pires.—Crenças e superstiçoes. Pentitencias nocturnas. Contos algarvios. A. d'Oliveira.—Contos populares Alemtejanos. A. Alexandrino.—Proverbios e dictos. Vol. II. No. 1, 1900. Notas historicas ácerca de Serpa. Conde de Ficalho.—Artes e industrias tradicionaes. D. Nunes.—Appariçoes.—Cancioneiro musical.
18. Mittheilungen der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien. (Vienna.) Vol. XXIX. No. 5, 1899. Das siebenbürgischsächsische bauernhaus (with 52 illustrations.) J. R. Bunker.
19. Mittheilungen der Schlesischen Gesellschaft iiir Volkskunde. Vol. VI. No. 4, 1899. Des schlesischen bauern werkzeug und hausgerat. P. Drechsler.—No. 5, Eine altschlesische bauernhochzeit. G. Popig.—Sanct Kümmernis in Schlesien. K. Gusinde.—Zur schlesischen Pfingstbitte. K. Gusinde.—Liebesklage.—Volkstümliches aus Goldberg in Schlesien. F. Paradel. Vol. VII. No. 1, 1900. Chrestkendla-spiel. Aus Grulich in Bonmen. W. Oehl.—​Bemerkungen zu dem vorstehenden weihnachtspiel. F. Vogt.—Schlesisches Kreschamleben. P. Drechsler.
20. Zeitschrift des Vereins für Volkskunde. (Berlin.) Vol. X. No. 1, 1900. Goethe und die deutsche volkskunde. R. M. Meyer.—Zur geschichte der bienenzucht in Deutschland. K. Mullenhoff.—Vier briefe W. Mannhardts ab W. Schwartz und ein brief von W. Schwartz an W. Mannhardt.—Bergische hochzeitsgebräuche. O. Schell.—Von den tieren und ihrem nutzen nach gossensasser meinung. M. Rehsener.—Braunschweigische segen. O. Schutte.—Faschingsgebräuche in Prutz im Oberinnthal. F. P. Piger. —Zur volkskunde aus Anhalt. O. Hartung.—Kleine mitteilungen.—Bücheranzeigen. Aus den sitzungs-protokollen des Vereins fiir Volkskunde. M. Roediger.
21. Zeitschrift für Franzôsische Sprache und Litteratur. (Berlin.) Vol. XXII. Nos. 1–3, 1900. Bemerkungen zur sage und dichtung von Tristan und Isolde. W. Golther.
22. Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Litteraturgeschichte. (Berlin.) Vol. XII. Nos. 4, 5, 1900. Der Ursprung der Don Juan-sage. J. Bolte.—Anklänge an das Nibelungenlied in mingrelischen märchen. W. Nehring.
23. The Indian Antiquary. (Bombay.) No. 252, June, 1899. Some notes on the folk-lore of the Telugus. G. R. S. Pantulu.—No. 253, July. Folk-lore in the Central Provinces of India. M. N. Venketswami.—No. 257, November. A folk-tale from Central India, M. R. Pedlow.—Superstitions among Hindus in the Central Provinces. (Continued in Nos. 360, 361.)—No. 360, January, 1900. Devil = whirlwind.—No. 361, February. Notes on the spirit basis of belief and custom.