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58 p. 3. 60 assistant principal priest then took him and carried him to the council house,bring preceeded by half the company, singing as they went, and followed by the other half; and halting three times on the way. On arriving at the council house the assistant priest placed the candidate on the white seat appropriated to his official character; and the company of priests all seated themselves on either hand, on white seats, in the form of a semicircle, the most distinguished sitting nearest the candidate. The assistant priest then took an ointment of chalk mixed with deers tallow, on the forefinger of his right hand, and approaching the candidate, and putting his finger on the top of his head, drew it down over his forehead nose, and chin , to his breast, making a white mark. He then drew it from the top of his head to his back. Then , putting his finger on the thumb nail of his right hand, drew it up his arm to his shoulder, and from there to his breast, touching the end of the first mark, and then down his leg to the great toe nail of his right foot. Thomas Smith

This ceremony being ended, the assistant priest presented him an Eagle tail fan, and some old(wild) tobacco, as a signal for him to commence smoking with the other priests, in token of friendships, yet not as is usual among Indians, by handing his pipe to others. His pipe was peculiarly sacred, as well as his dry meat? &c. His bag for keeping his tobacco, was hung on the left side of the upright white plank, which formed the back of his seat. The high priest had an assistant, or righthand man, and seven counsellors whom he consulted on all matters of importance. These were priests, and the rules conveying their induction into office, this dress, and marriage, were very similar to those respecting the high priest.
 This court determined the time of all the national feasts made arrangements for them &c.      T. Smith.

In every considerable town there was also a court consisting of a priest, his right hand man, and seven counsellors. This decided all inferior matters, and attended to such religious ceremonies as were proper for individual towns to observe. In small towns, or settlements, where no such court existed, the people called neighborsing priests to their assistance, as circumstances required. I say priests, when speaking of the above officers, because if I am rightly informed, their? consecration?, their dress, their marriage & official duties, differed in some important particulars from kings, & such civil rulers? as officiated only in civil matters. The above courts, when convened, I believe, constituted the great council of the nation, together with such other civil officers as they saw fit, from time to time to introduce. Thus the priests, and their counsellors seemed to