thefe feafts a fmall quantity of meat or drink-ds* facfificed, before they
begin tQ eatj. by throwing it: into the fire, or on the earth.- .
' Thefe Feafts differ according to circumftances; fometimes each man’s
allowance is no more than he:can difpatch in a: couple' of hours. At
Other times the' quantity is ftifficientttvfupply each- o f them with food
for a week, though it muft be devoured in a day. On thefe*oecafions>
it f e p r y diffical®*to ^procure Fubftifcute%and the whole muft. be eaten
whatever time it may require. At fome of thefe entertainments^here•
is a more rational arrangement, when the guefts are allowed to carry
home with them the fuperfluous part o f their portions. Grgat, care is
always taken that the bones may be burned, as it would be confider%d
a profanation were the dogs permitted to touch them.
The public feafts are conduced in the fame -manner, but with feme;
additional Ceremony. Several chiefs officiate at them, and p ro c u r e d
iieceflary provifions, as well as prepare a proper place of. reception
for the numerous company. Here the guefts difcourfe upon' public
topics, repeat the heroic deeds of their forefathers, and,excite theirifing
generation to follow their example. The entertainments on thefe-ocfcaT
Sons confift of dried meats, as it would not beprafticable to drefs a
fufficient quantity of frelh meat for fuch a large afleinbly; though the
women and children are excluded.^
Similar feafts ufed to be.made at funerals, and annually, iin honour of
the dead; but they have been, for fome time, growing into difufe, and
1 never had an opportunity of being prefent at any of them.
The
; The women, who are forbidden, to ’ enter the places facred to thefe
feftival'fjf dance and, ling.around them, and femethiles beat time to the
mufic within thpm;, which;forms an^agreeable contrail,
With refp££l to- their divifions of time; they compute the length o f
their journies by the,snumbJer o f nights palled in; perforpaing them; and
they diyide^.t'he, year by thefucceffion of moon’s, In this calculation,
however, tbey,are nctiaftogether cQrreQ,.as tbey cannot,.account for the
oddity#'
•The names which ;they give to the moons are deferiptive of the feveral
feafônÿ,; n
l^Iay -r’u *o.:t AthMifeylb Kftiirh |i * ; ; , - Frpg^Moön.,^,
; Op.pinj| Q JPjlhitn : irriiv^ v -t The Moon in which birds
M 9 *U «! . i’A u p&ffien 0 Pilhim - *
begin jtö lay their eggs.
The Moon'when birds call
Aoguft . > Aupahou 0 Pilhim ; -
their feathers,
The MoqniWhen the young
September Wafldfcon 0 Pilhim
birdsfbegin to fly.
Thé Moon when the moofe-
QHober - I Wifet b .Ifilhinj, j ;«i - /
■ dgeyoaft their horns,
The,£Jlutting-Moon, ;:
November Thithigon Pewai o.Pilhipi... -- Hoar-FrolLMoon.
1 :K.ulkatinay)oui 9 Pilhim i , > - Ice-Moon, .
December Pawatchicananafis 0 Pilhim < “ - Whirlwin d-Moon. r<j
Jaujiary • <- ; Kulhapawafticanum 0 Pilhim .: Extreme cold,.Mb9n* ■
à 0 ; February