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Warfare Fourth sheet P.25 104 106 Offensive wars were declared by the great war chief, or Captain of the host, and his second. These two great men, having agreed, dictated war against their enemies. The chief captain then taking a rattling gourd, walked, with his second, to the council house yard, shaking his gourd and singing with a loud voice the following word four times, viz., O gi who ne. This was a song of mourning for himself and his warriors, who were to be exposed to such iminent danger. Having done this, he raised the war whoop four times, to see if he could find any friends, (warriors) to come to his assistance. He then laid down his gourd, and took his seat. His second, or right hand man, then arose, took the gourd, and went through the same ceremonies, and sat down. All the warriors, who heard the war whoop, & were prepared for war, immediately started for the place of rendezvous.

The second, or right hand man, requested certain warriors to select seven men to order the war. This being done, these seven selected a priest to accompany them, and immediately dispatched a messenger to give him notice of his appointment. The messenger, on his return, came into the midst of the seven counsellors, above mentioned, with instruction from the priest how to proceed in besieging a town, etc. The warriors, now enlisted, and others on enlisting, came under the special direction of the priest, selected as above. None must have any farther intercourse with their wives, or other females until their purification after the close of the war.

The priest made new fire (by rubbing two pieces of dry Basswood together, with a dry weed called golden rod, between them, till the weed, then the wood took fire) to be their guide and helper in the war. He called himself second to this fire, that is, the fire was the principal priest, and he was his assistant, or right hand man. This fire he put in the sacred ark for the war &? these + arks, they had two, one kept always in the council house, and the other used for war. This for war was about a foot long, shaped some like a canoe, having a lid fitted to the upper side. All was made of clay, burnt in the same manner as Indian earthen ware. No one must touch this, but the priest for the war, or his right hand man. Next to the holy fire, the priest valued his diamond (crystalline quartz) which he called the man eater, and used only in case of war. When an enemy was killed, some of the blood of the scalp was rubbed on this stone. A little previous to commencing their march, the priest called all the warriors into the council house. Here it may be well to give a description of a council house. seven posts were set, I call these arks because, with regard to their sacredness & use, they so easily resembled the jewish ark.