.MTA1MQ.NzAyODE

stick of the beads,++ and one piece of the tobacco and wrapping them up in a leaf, gave them to the first messenger. Then he gave the same to the second &c. till each messenger was supplied, i.e the messenger of each town first. The council being dissolved, all the members dispersed to their respective towns; and as soon as convenient, each priest collected the inhabitants of his town, when his messenger, at a proper season brought forward the stick of beads & tobacco and delivered them to the principal men of the town, together with the talk from the national council. While delivering this talk, or making known the acts of the council, the old men were smoking the tobacco. The messenger then selected a man to order the next green corn feast, and gave him notice of the selection. He then took the beads from the stick, and wound them round a staff from one end to the other, and went out into the town house yard, and called aloud, Atri nu sti. The man above selected, started, went out of the house, danced round the yard singing "Mi-ta ka ni,-hi ta ka ni" &c. then came to the messenger of the council, took the staff and exclaimed, Na wi go ni ka li sta, to which all exclaimed Waneh. With these beads from the council the man received full authority from the U ku, & national council to hold the first of green fruits in that particular town. citation: Nusawi. The above plan of authorizing each town to hold the green fruit feast separately, was probably adopted to prevent the labour and trouble of all meeting together. The councils were appointed by the U ku, and his privy council. The other chiefs, however, if they saw any special cause for a national council, had a right to request it; and in that case the U ku complied with their wishes. This sometimes rendered the councils irregular. But the general time for the national council was in the spring, before the feast of first fruits. On calling a council, the U ku raised the national standard at the council house. This consisted of a very long pole, painted white, (with white clay) - on the top was painted a certain kind, and to the top was fastened a white cloth (or white dressed deerskin) four or five yards long, having red spots like stars painted on it. This being raised the U ku dispatched his messenger to the nearest town, giving notice to the priest residing there. He caught the intelligence, & hastened his messenger to another town: & thus the news was spread almost instantly through the nation, as the messengers were on the wing night & day till the information was spread, especially, if there was any urgent business.