146 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



that, as rain water is "sweet," so this water must be made sweet. The 

 object of drawing the goose-quill through the lips was especially, to 

 cleanse the mouth, thus imitating the habit of the goose. The poop- 

 ing just before drinking, represented the noise made by the goose 

 before drinking, because these birds drink good, clear water, in regions 

 where there is ice and snow, where, therefore, the water is "sweet." 

 The bodies of the geese are white, and hence the people imitating the 

 acts of the birds make themselves clean from all badness and free from 

 sickness. 



PREPARATION OF THE SWEET-WATER, 1902. 



According to the statement made by Hawkan, the charm liquid, 

 or holy water, should not be prepared in the Offerings-lodge, as the 

 rites accompanying the preparation of the water are supposed to be 

 secret. On this year, therefore, when the time came for the prepara- 

 tion of the water, i. e., at about six in the afternoon, Hawkan and 

 several others left the Offerings-lodge and proceeded to the tipi of 

 Chanitoe, which stood in the camp-circle just north of the eastern 

 opening, (See Plate XCIX.) Proceeding within, they arranged 

 themselves in the following order, beginning with the south side of 

 the tipi entrance and continuing on around to 'the north side of the 

 door: Chanitoe's wife, Hawkan, Chanitoe, Watangaa, Nishnat^yana, 

 Watanah, Debithe, and Thiyeh. 



Within the tipi, certain preparations had already been made. A 

 kettle of boiling water was found hanging upon a crane over a fire in 

 the center of the tipi. After a few moments, Hdwkan left his position 

 next to Chanitoe's wife and sat down between Nishnat^yana and 

 Watanah. He took a pipe-stem in his hand and directed the priests 

 in some detail, giving the reason why the medicine water should not be 

 prepared in the Offerings-lodge, and asking the priests, especially 

 those who were present as pupils, to be particularly attentive during 

 the performance, in order that they might perform this rite accurately 

 in the future. 



He then pointed out that the kettle should not be suspended upon 

 the crane, and asked that a tripod be provided, saying that only the 

 tripod used with the tipi leanback should be used for this purpose. 

 No tripod being present within the lodge, Chanitoe's wife went outside, 

 and soon returned with an ordinary tripod used over the fire. The 

 proper kind of roots or herbs not being present, Chanitoe left the lodge 

 and soon returned with them. The tripod and packages having been 

 handed to Hdwkan, he uttered a prayer: 



