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181 7

When the national council directed concerning the feast of first fruits, as mentioned in the former part of this sheet, the messengers who were authorized to attend to it in their respective towns, appointed each seven men, one from each clan to order and make arrangements for the feast. These appointed seven others to hunt, and again four others to carry the meat on their fetching it, to different parts of the town to be cooked. seven men & women also fasted the seven days then hunters were out i.e. the seven days before

the feast. The tongue for sacrifice as noted formerly.

 The mixt was boiled with new corn, and brought to the Town house on the night before or on the morning of the seventh day of the hunting & fasting. This was the first day of the feast. About 9 OClock the sacrifice was offered. This being done &  the seats prepared, about 12 O Clock all partook of the new food. For very aged people, instead of new

corn boiled, they made a kind of mush for them to eat with the meat. The priest gave thanks before they eat. (This they also did before eating even at common meals.) The priest also prayed that a blessing might rest on the new food & render it healthful during the year. The company were then engaged in dancing till near night, when they again partook of their new food, as before.

Soon after dark all fell prostrate and continued silent while the priest offered up a prayer. This being closed, all slept till day break, when the seven directors called them all to rise & pray. Each one called those of his own clan. Each clan now, kept separate. All stood, and lifted up their hands, holding the palm toward the east, while the priest, observing the

same position, prayed for them. About sunrise the priest ordered all to the creek where they washed their face and hands and drank some of the water. In all their marches the clans kept together. Anyone who neglected to keep with his own clan was called a fool. On returning from the water the priest went to the altar where the ?aise? fire had been burnt the day before (of deers tongue, green fruit &c) and took soome of the white ashed on the palm of his right hand, and rubbed it up his breast and face to his forehead, and ordered all to follow his example, as they did. He again offered sacrifice at or about 9 O'Clock, ate, danced, ate & prayed as the day before. The next morning also they prayed at daylight, as on the day previous. Thus they continued the feast three & sometimes four days. But on the last day, on going to the creek at sunrise all plunged entirely under water seven times, with their heads every way, east west North south sout East &c &c. The place for bathing was