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159 p. 54 161 No person was ever allowed to sing the yo wa, or imitate the notes of these whippers, but such as were appointed on the occasion. On this day all fasted till near sunset, and then the sacrifice was offered and all ate. This was as follows. The priest spread the buck, doe, and fawn skin, near the fire, with the flesh side up, and the heads toward the east. Fresh blood from a deer, or fowl, was sprinkled or rubbed on the skins from the tail to the head, along the back. This was done by means of a small bunch of grass or small weeds, being dipped in the blood. On this streak of blood, on the buck skin, the priest put his diamond and also the seven strings of beads, (at first placed round the rotten wood) Now if it was to be sickly, a smoke without fire would appear in the stone; but if not there would be a bright dazzling appearance, without smoke. Again it is said, if the sickness was not to be turned away, the diamond would assume a bluish cast, and the whole town might be seen in it, those who were to die where distinguished by a dark blue appearance, while the others looked bright. so with regard to the seven strands of beads, on for each clan, the priest took the beads designed to represent one particular clan and wet the strand with his spittle, and the held it in his hand, considering it an active agent to inform him, by certain motions, whether its clan was to be sickly or not. The meat for sacrifice as in case of the small pox, but now, if the sickness was to prevail, the smoke of the sacrifice would form a bluish cloud over the fire, and not rise directly towards heaven; otherwise it would go directly up. The second night, as the first, only the dance ceased at midnight, and the same ceremonies were observed on the second day as the first, only the fast continued but half the day. This also each day was improved till the seventh; on which, as on the first, they all fasted till near sunset; and the the prayer + sacrifice of the first day were repeated, and all, as then, ate simultaneously at the word of the priest. During these ceremonies the priest and his right hand man occupied the middle white seat, having a cane mattress to set their feet on, while the seven counsellors and speaker occupied the other two. As these seats were always in the west end of the house, the door being in the east side, the priests always sat with their faces towards the east. The people having eaten the whole night was spent as the first; and on the morning of the eighth day the priest took the herbs from the pot, held them till they ceased dripping,—