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6. 276
They resorted to other articles. Thus, in addition to what I have already said respecting cloth of Turkey feathers, Mulberry root back & c. they made many ornamental articles of white hair dyed red, yellow, black &c. They took the white hair of the oppossum, spun it into thread, died they, some yellow, some black & some a most florid red. These they interwove fancifully to make girdle and garter for the young men, and with the red thread along they wove or knit the cap of the I la ga sta. Sometimes they spun bears hair for black thread, & black cloth. The hair threads were colored yellow by means of a certain root called Talony and black oak bark. S.. as was to be colored red was then put into a dye of blood root. Black was dyed with Black walnut, Butternut & sourwood. The A ska yu gu ste ga, or great warrior, wore as a common badge of distinction a band of otter skin, hair on, about his head - both arms above the elbows, & both legs just below the knees. He also carried openly on his breast one of the U lu sa ta, - lights, or divining stones, for the war. He took a weasle skin, dressed whole, put the Diamond in it then folded the skin to the size of the palm of the hand and hung it on his breast, by means of a string that went round his neck. All other characters who used this stone, carried it in some secret place about themselves not known to others, but this man carried it openly. Should he be killed in battle the first object of his own warriors would be to take this stone from his breast, & preserve it. The first object also of his enemies would be to seize it and smash it between two stones. The Indians had a tuft of hair left on the crown of the head. All warriors and ball players, before engaging in battle, or in a ball play, had a feather tied to this tuft of hair, and on the end of that feather another 3 or 4 inches long, dyed a scarlet red. These red feathers were considered very sacred. Not every one must dye them. None would do it but such as had been devoted in infancy, or at 9 years old as to sacred offices. In a general war these were gathered, sent to the sacred painter; and painted at the request of the seven prime counsillors (for the war) but in case of a small war expedition, or of a ball play, they were painted at the request of the barder?.