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6 216 the morning the friend took the boy to some secret place on a mountain where they would be entirely secluded from the sight of the women, and there taught him the use of the Divining stone, how and when it was consulted. They continued in this place six days, making in all a seven days fast. During the two first days and first night they ate nothing. On the evening of the second day, a little after sunset, they partook of a certain root, which they chewed, but of nothing else; and then fasted again, till the next day after sun set. And thus during the whole period, eating the root once in twenty four hours. But on the seventh day and night they tasted nothing, spending the whole time in fasting and watching. On the morning of the eighth day the priest took his Divining stone to see how long the boy was to officiate in the office to which he was assigned.

Setting the stone appropriately, so that the rays of the sun, as it rose, would strike it, and praying for instruction relative to the point in question, if the boy was to live long, he would perceive in the stone an old man with a white head, and white beard; but if otherwise  then he would discover in the stone a man with black hair and a black beard. The priest then took the boy to a creek, and directed him to stand in the water with his face toward the East, which he stood on the shore, with his face the same way, and prayed. He then ordered the boy to plunge entirely in the water seven times, first with his head to the East, then to the West and alternately. This being done the priest took the boy to a certain house and offered a sacrifice for him. After leaving the spot for, and making the fire, he prayed, and then put the meat (end of deers tongue) and a little mush  on the fire. Now if the boy was to be killed by his enemies, the meat would pop, and a [pine?]] or two he thrown towards him, but if he was to be generally victorious, the meat would pop and throw pins from him. But in case the boy was to be a civil (not a war_ priest, or a physic boiler &c. the appearance of the sacrifice would differ accordingly.
 One priest might have seven such youth under his care, but not a greater number. These disciples occasionally visited him, when he spent a day and night with them, in fasting and watchfulness, teaching them the various duties connected with the office assigned them. But when the old man perceived that his own death was drawing nigh he called his pupils together and repeated his instructions to them, and bequeathed, as a legacy, his Divining stone to one of them and authorized him to fill his place on his decease. This scholar sometimes took the stone then, but generally not till the old mans death.