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57 p. 4 constitute the permanent authorities of the nation, having power to make kings at the request of the people and to depose? them when acting contrary to the commands of God. The inauguration of a king was performed in the following manner. Persons were selected to prepare a platform of a kind of large tall and strong weeds, an official dress, and a sceptre staff painted white. These being made ready and taken to the council house, a vast multitude went to the house of the candidate, and persons, previously selected, undressed, washed, and dressed him in his official robes, and anointed his face with a kind of white ointment. The platform being brought near him and raised a short distance from the ground, he jumped on, and stood upright carrying the sceptre, which was then given him. The platform was then raised high, by means of fo?ted forks? and he was thus carried to the council house. The people, on seeing him approaching, retired into the council house, and with perfect silence took their seats. On reaching the house, the procession walked silently round it four times, and then at the door, let down the platform within about three feet of the ground. An appointed person then took the candidate on back, and carried him to his appropriate white seat in the back part of the council house. His seat was covered with a white dressed deer skin, and the ground under his feet spread with a mattrass of cane, covered with a large buckskin dressed white.
It may be well here to remark that previous to this the candidate had fasted six days. This was the seventh.
The candidate being seated, as above, the speaker came forward and made a very lengthy address, and then directed all the people to salute the king. On which all arose, and individually approached near his seat, and bowing, said Tsa g.. wi to which he replied Ho. Then all sat down in silence during the rest of the night. About day break the king broke the silence by an appropriate address to the people. In this he solemnly promised to exercise the authority given him, in all respects according to the commands of God. At the conclusion of this address, all the people promised obedience to his commands. About noon, the young people withdrew from the assembly. The king then arose, and put his sceptre over his right shoulder, when two men putting their hands under his arms, partly supported him, as he walked to the door & from thence to his own house, where his official dress was taken off & put away in a place prepared for it, his common dress put on, & the ointment was washed from his face. Nutsawi.