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31 alterd watching the pot of medicine. About noon on this first day, the seven cleansers (or whippers) took the white gourds, and dipped some of the purifying drink out of the pot, and handed to the people (each to those of his own clan) to drink. In this ceremony they used seven gourds white washed, but different from the seven with which they had carried water to the pot, yet put on the same white bench, near the fire. The people drank of this and gave it to their children, and washed with it. Their own & their childrens breasts. And during the afternoon they used this drink from time to time as they saw fit. On this day every living soul fasted till afternoon. Then, after taking some of the above drink, infants might receive some nourishment, but all other children, and adult fasted till near sun set.
When the sun was about two hours high, the priest's right hand man directed all to repair to the water, as they stood on the bank the priest prayed to himself, and then ordered the people to wash in the river. The men then turned a little upstream, and the women & children down, and all waded in, and standing with the face toward the East, plunged entirely under water, then turning quickly they face toward the west plunged again in the same manner, and then to the East &c. till they had plunged seven times. God directed them to do this, and not wipe the water from their faces as they arose from the water. left margin, vertical note: Confirm Some went in the water with old clothes on, and while in strikeout: the water let them swim off, thus taking all impurities with them, and on coming out of the water put on clean clothes prepared for the purpose. Others changed their clothes so a to have all clean clothes on returning to the council house. In leaving the water the priest and his right hand man went behind. On arriving at the council house all took their seats in silence, and the priest prepared for offering sacrifice. Having coals placed on the altar, one side of the pot, he stood on the west side, with his face east, towards the fire, with his right hand man beside him, and his seven counsellors behind, he held the deer tongue in his hand and prayed, and then put it on the fire, sprinkling on also old tobacco. His right hand man, and seven counsellors noticed the meat as it burnt, how many times it popped and how the smoke ascended. The priest then consulted his U ly sa ta (together with his right hand man and seven counsellors) and his right hand man made known to the people the result of all their enqueries just before eating. As many times as the meat popped, so many deaths would occur during the year, and so many also would appear in the stone lying dead. citation: Corn Tastle. The priest folded seven deer skins and placed them on a stool, and set the u ly sa ta on them, and prayed. Now