c A GENERAL HISTORY
produce them; fueh as a tedious illnefs, long failing, Sic. On thefe
occafions it is ufual for the perfon who means to give the entertainment,
to announce his defign, on a certain day, of opening the medicine bag
and fmoking out of his facred ftem. This declaration is confidered as a
facred vow that cannot be broken. There are alfo ftated periods, fuch
as the fpring and autumn, when they engage in very long and folerim
ceremonies. On thefe occafionsidogs are offered as facrifices, and thofe
which are very fat, and milk-white, are preferred. They alfo make large
offerings of their property, whatever-it may be. The fcenfc of thefe ceremonies
is in an open inclofure on the bank of a river or lake, and in
the moll confpicuous fituation, in order that fuch as are palling along or
travelling, may be induced to make their offerings. There is ^lfo a-particular
cufiom among them, that, on thefe occafionsi if an^of'the triire,
or even a ffranger, fhould be paffing by* and be ia real want of any
thing that is difplayed as an offering, he has a right to take it, fo that
he replaces it with fome article he can fpare, though it be of far inferior
value; but to take or toueh any tiring wantonly is confidered a£ a* faeri-
legious aft, and highly infulting to the great Mafter of Life, to ufe
their own expreffion, who is the facred obje& of their devotion.
The fcene o f private facrifice is the lodge of the perfon who performs
it, which is prepared for that purpofe by removing every thing Out of it,
and fpreading green branches in evfery part. The fire and alhes
are alfo taken away. A new hearth is made of frefh earth, and another
fire is lighted. The owner of the dwelling remains alone in i t ; and he
begins the ceremony by fpreading a piece of new cloth, ora well-drcffed
jpaoofe-lkin neatly painted, on which he opens his medicine-bag and
•expofes^ its* contents,* cqnfifting of various articles. The principal o f
themds. a kind oE houfejb^l^bjgP^’whi^fi.fe^fmall carved image about
.fiightinhbesl ktfigfc' Its fircohe rin g is # f.down* over which a piece of
be^ch- bark is ckfelfttied, and^e.wlaqle is enveloped hi feveral folds o f
red and bLue-cfoth. This Utblelfigu^e is,an obj?& pf the moft pious regard.*
The «ext ap|iel&is his,war-cap, ,-^hich is decorated with the fea-
vth£rs*-and .plumes*of'fca^ce-birds, beayfrsjrand eagle’s claws, &c. There
is salfotifufpended ^frorn it a quill *«£ feather, for every enemy whom the
owner of<-it has fla-in in battle. 4 The remaining contents of the bag are,
a piece of Brazil fiobacGO, Teverakroots and fimplesr which are in great
eftimationfbr their medicinal qualities, and a pfpb. „.Thefe articles being
411 expofed-, and -the. ftem refting upon two. forks; a& it muff not touch
-the-ground,-the mafter o f the lodge fends for. the,perfon he moft efteems,
who. fits-down oppofite to him; the pipe,is-then filled and* .fixed to the
.ftem. A pair of wooden pincers is provided to, put,.the fire in the pipe, and
a double-pointed pin, to empty it of the remnant of tobacco which is not
confumed. This arrangement being made* the men affemble, and fome-
times the women are allowed to'be humble fpeftators, while the moft, religious
awe and folemnity- pervades the. whole* KThe.Michiniwais* or
Affiftant, takes up the pipe, lights it, and prefents it to the officiating
perfon,- who receives it ftanding and holds it between both -his hands. He
.then turns hirofelf to the Eaft, and draws a few whiffs, which he blows, to
that point. The fame ceremony he obferves to the other three quartern,
with his eyes dire&ed upwards during the whole of it. He holds the
ftem about the middle between the three firii fingers of both hands, and
raifing them upon a line with his forehead, he fw-ings it three tunes
round from the Eaft, with the fun, when, after pointing and balancing it
in