.MTA1Mg.NzA0NjI
123 p.36 125 kinds of green fruits of their fields, brought ready cooked from home. This night the whole nation kept as a watch night or vigil. The women, however, or some of them were engaged a short time in the evening, in a slow, still solemn dance.
On the morning of the seventh day, soon after his counsellor gave him the seven ears of corn, above mentioned, the priest offered the sacrifice which consisted of the end of a
deers tongue (as usual) and some corn from each of the seven ears sprinkling on old tobacco (powdered)( the fire, fire & altar, see hereafter)
The priest then by his speaker gave directions to the people respecting their behaviour, ordering them not to whoop, nor laugh, nor make any kind of noise, but keep entirely still. He commanded them also to abstain from labor . This day all the people fasted till after noon, and then, sacrifice having been offered, the priests right hand man
directed the victuals or new fruit (previously prepared) to be brought forward, and placed in due order, and then had the people seated, so that at his word all commenced eating the same moment. The priest, however, and his counsellors did not eat at this time. This night also was observed as a vigil. None slept. The women danced most of the night; and the next morning the people retired to their homes. - The priest and his seven counsellors however continued at the council house still eating old fruit (the ? of last year) seven days longer. Then the people assembled again, had a second feast and the priest & his counsellors now united in partaking of the fruits of the new year.
But in modern times the feast of first fruits has been observed by individual towns, in the following manner. The people of the town assemble in the town house, appointed seven men to hunt the seven days previous to the feast, and also seven men and seven women to fast the same time, at the town house (as its pasts like a unit? house) The hunters on entering the forest, the first deer they show down, the approached, - took out its tongue before touching any other place, - cut a small piece off the right side of the end, - wrapped it in a clean leaf of the last year, and put it away for sacrifice. On the morning of the seventh day the hunters returned, with their meat barbicued, to the Town house, where the people of the town also assembled at the same time, each family fetching some of their green fruit cooked. After depositing the green fruits in the town house, each family took a piece of the meat brought by the hunters, and returned home. At night, all assembled again, & brought the meat, not having tasted it, and put it away.
The priest then proceeded