GATSCHET — KAS. LEG. — COMMENTARY. [Sq] 57 



retic ; it was drank by the people at the busk, and by the "elders" 

 when assembled in council or when discussing every-day topics. 

 After the potion has been poured from one pan or cooler into 

 another, it begins to ferment and to produce a white froth, from 

 which it is styled also white dritik^ the term " white" alluding 

 simultaneously to its purifying qualities. To make the liquid 

 stronger, a larger infusion of the parched leaves is required ; it 

 then assumes a dark hue, nearly as black as molasses, and acts as 

 a powerful, intoxicating stimulant. A still larger addition of the 

 cassine-leaf produces a strong narcotic, which was, as mentioned 

 previously, used by conjurers to evoke prophetic ecstasis accom- 

 panied b}' dreams.* 



The black drink of the weaker sort acts as an emetic, and was 

 used as such in the annual busk and at other occasions extensive- 

 ly ; this gave to the liquid its renown as a bodily and moral puri- 

 ficator, for primitive peoples are prone to regard agencies which 

 act with mysterious force upon the bodily constitution as symbols 

 for abstract, spiritual or religious ideas. This drink being served 

 at all games and festivities, councils and conclusions of treaties, 

 special ministrants, the Hinihalgi, were appointed for its manu- 

 facture by the miko of the town. On festive days they prepared 

 it with peculiar ceremonies, and served it to all who attended the 

 celebrations in the square.* The singing of the yahola or black- 

 drink note was, and is still, a peculiar rite connected with the 

 drinking of this favorite liquid. It forms a part of the annual 

 celebration of the piiskita, or busk. Of this ceremony C. Swan 

 has left a vivid description in his Report (1790) printed in School- 

 craft's " Indian Tribes," v. 266. 267, from which we extract the 

 following : 



Three young men acting as masters of ceremony (at the annual busk in 

 the square), each having a gourd full of the assi-liquor, place themselves 

 in front of the three greatest chiefs or warriors and announce by the word 

 '•tchd!" that they are ready. After a short pause, stooping forward, they 

 run up to the warriors and hold the cup or shell to the level of their 

 mouths ; the warriors receive it from them, and wait until the young men 

 fall back and adjust themselves to give the yahola,* or black-drink note. 

 When they begin to emit the note after a deep aspiration of air, the "great 



* Cf. Father Petit, in French, Hist. Coll. of La. iii. 146 (note). 



* Cf. vol. i. pp. 177-183, and Hawkins, Sketch, pp. 71, 75, 76. 



