.MTA1Mg.NzA1MTQ

                                                                                              145

Anciently there was a custom of cementing perpetual friendship. Suppose two young men conceived a peculiar fondness for each other, and desired to enter into the strongest bonds of perpetual friendship, they mutually agreed to unite their hearts at the next medicine feast or feast of purification, when the Yowa was sung, sometime during that feast, at a convenient time, when all were seated solemnly in the council house, these two young friends arose, walked into the middle of the house, and commenced dancing the friendship dance round the fire, each having on his best suit of clothes, while thus dancing in the presence of all the people, they gave each other one garment after another, till each had given the other his entire dress, even legings, mocasins &c, and thus each of them publicly received, The other as himself, and became pledged to regard and trust him as himself, which he ?lind?

sometimes a young man and young woman contracted this friendship. When a young man & woman fell in love with each other, but were hindered from marriage either by relatives, or by being of the same clan, they sometimes bound themselves to perpetual friendship. In this case, which dancing round the fire as above stated, the man threw his blanket over the woman, and she in return, as soon as convenient, threw hers to him, The man, having a cane? scene? tied to his side, took this off & gave her, as also a pestle to pound corn with, the mortar he had ready for her at home.
After this she was to him as an own sister, and of course he could not think of marrying her any sooner than an own sister.

Such friends must never conceal any thing from each other. To hide any thing from a friends betraying a want of confidence not consistent with such a relation. But, on the other hand friends must never reveal secrets thus made known to them.

Friends among the Cherokees must share with each other whatever they might have.
All of the same clan in the same or in different tribes, are as the same family, and as free at each others houses as own brothers and sisters.

Common visitors, also, must be treated with the best the house affords, & recive the whole attention of those they visit, on leaving, whatever they want must be shared with them. The expression, I have only enough for myself, and none to share, is unknown with Cherokees among each other.