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Feasts New Moons As respected New Moons, the Cherokee commenced their year with the first moon in September. At the first appearance of that moon the people assembled at the house of the principal priest (or conjurer, as the following ceremonies are now practised) who was on this occasion attended by two right hand men, subject to his orders. One of these assistants selected seven men to sing for the women. When the first singer takes his seat, & commences singing, the women commence a slow walk round the fire, the foremost having tarapin shells, with pebbles in them ties to the calves of their legs. When the first singer had concluded, as he did in about three quarters of an hour, he stopped, & retired. The women then rested till the second took his seat, - proceeded as the first etc till all the seven had completed their music, & then all retired to rest. In the morning before sunrise, the priest collected all into a house, and seated them in rows, with their faces to the east. He then opened a crack in the east side of the house, about a foot long, and put his diamond in the crack, so that the sun when it rose would shine upon it. He then stood back about four feet, looking at the stone, with his face toward the sun, to which he addressed a prayer. And as he prayed, it is said, the diamond became brighter & brighter,