.MTM1OA.MTE0OTEy

From Newberry Transcribe
Revision as of 04:23, 4 September 2021 by CastleCourt (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

152 following this is a few turns of yellow ribon enclosing a tassle beneath and a tuft above of horsehair dyed carmine. The rest of the stem is wrapped with strands of plaited porcupine quills the lower end white with elongated patches of red. the upper end red with irregular bands and a cross of yellow. The extreme end being finished with a yellow and purple ribon tied at the union of the stem and quills. George Cattin Esq in his very valuable work on the indians shows a number of varieties of the pipe many of them elaborately carved and from observation no one disposed to think that he must have collected about all the carved pipes in the country. or else the indians has lost the art of carving. Just [?] it would seem fitting to digress for a moment to remark. In the lines of the Bard and others we [?] the praises of the "Calumet" or "Pipe of Peace". Cattin describes such a pipe and describes it. In form it is similar to the pipe of "Spotted Tail" except that the point is shorter. the stem is apparently [crossed out: round] cylindrical and as explained by him is ornamented with the feathers of the War Eagle. this constituted it a sacred pipe and it was never smoked except at the conclusion of a council and in ratification of a treaty. When, as Cattin explains, the treaty of peace was concluded the chief produced the "Calumet" wrapped in numerous bandages and unwound them.filled the pipe lighted it and it was then passed from one member of the council to another. each drawing a single breath of smoke and then passing it. this in indian ethics was a most solumn [sic] assent to the terms of the treaty. If a chief refused to smoke and passed the pipe it was evidence that he would not agree to the terms and was still hostile With the degeneration of indian customs incident to the comings of the white man the smoking of the calumet as a mark of assent to a treaty has in a great means become obslite [sic]. Treaties are now signed with the pen and the indian makes his mark or holds the pen. The pipe is however always present in the council each indian carrying his own pipe and smoking it. Among the Ojibway the pipe is smoked at their ceremonies of worship as we will see under that head.