closely pressed spiral, tightly coiled together, with the leader in
the middle. At first the dancers have their bodies bent over in a
stooping attitude, but as the dance goes on and the excitement
increases they rise to an erect posture, especially as near the end
they coil around the leader with the horn rattles, who is concealed
from sight by the dancers. They call on the spectators to follow them,
with loud calls mingled with the music: these cries now become louder
and more boisterous, and the coil rapidly unwinds, moving more and
more quickly, until some one of the dancers, being unable to keep up,
slips and falls. Then the chain is broken, and all, with loud shouts,
often dripping with perspiration, return to their seats.[6]

[Footnote 6: The last part of this dance somewhat resembles a play
among boys, known as "Snap the whip."]

In this dance all present take part; it always occurs at the end of
the Passamaquoddy dances, though it may be followed by a dance of the
Micmacs, or other foreign Indians. There was, when last presented, no
special dress adopted for the snake-dance, and the horn rattle is used
also in other dances. It seems probable that everything used in the
old times has disappeared, with the exception perhaps of the
last-named implement, yet the song resembles closely that of the olden
time. The invitations to dance are possibly introduced, and the
boisterous finale may be of modern date. There is recorded also on the
phonograph, with the song, the invitation to the dance in the
Passamaquoddy language. An invitation is extended to all to come to
the dance. It is a proclamation that there will be a good time, much
to eat, "Indian dances," snake dance, and Micmac dances. The shell of
the turtle was used in old times for a rattle, in place of the horn,
and in a story of the origin of the rattlesnake the conqueror is said