9. The dancers entered the village at the call of a crier stationed on top of the dance-house, performed an elaborate ceremony in front of the dance-house, and finally entered it backwards, groping their way, using an inverted style of speech, and in every other manner showing that the spirits of the departed were unaccustomed to the ways of mortals. 10. The dancing was elaborate and was characterized by the occurrence of movements in cycles of four, followed by an elaborate ceremonial disrobing at the drum, and then by swimming. 11. During the fire dance the ash-devils initiated novices. 12. The dancers were subject to certain restrictions for varying periods of time following the ceremony. FOOTNOTES: [7] Contr. N.A. Ethn., III, 158-160, 1877. [8] _Loc. cit._ [9] _Op. cit._, pp. 193-194. [10] See below, p. 414. [11] The exact identity of this supernatural being could not be determined from informants. [12] According to one informant, two feathers instead of one were worn by these dancers. These were placed so that they projected laterally from the forehead. [13] One informant stated that each dancer was ablaze on his back, head, and arms, and that smoke issued from his mouth. This accords with Power's statements, quoted above. [14] According to one informant, some of these dancers carried stones, long sticks, or even snakes with which to frighten the spectators. Note also Power's reference to the use of the rattlesnake in the ghost dance, quoted above. [15] Two or three dancers sometimes came together. [16] Mibax bōl malīdai (E). [17] This expression was said by informants to be untranslatable, simply an expression used to start the song. This jumping upon the drum and calling by the drummer were called tehe´sba (E). [18] Compare below, p. 419. [19] See below, p. 418. [20] See below, p. 420. [21] According to the above information, which was obtained from an Eastern Pomo informant, the fire-dancers evidently did not make an attempt to hide their identity. However, a Central Pomo informant was very specific in his statements that the dancers of his locality were more particular in this respect, and instead of remaining in the dance-house after the ceremony they ran out and returned to their respective places of seclusion, there to dress in daily attire and return to the village. THE GUKSU CEREMONY Gū´ksū or kū´ksū, as he is called in the different Pomo dialects, was a supernatural being living at the end of the world toward the south, one of six supernatural beings living at the ends of the world in the six cardinal directions. The term is also applied to a large mosquito-like insect, called locally "gallinipper." Toward the east lived Ca´lnis, the only one of these deities who was associated especially with Gū´ksū in the ceremonies of the Pomo. Toward the north lived Sū´ūpadax (whirlwind).