1897.] PEINCE — THE PASSAMAQUODDY WAMPUM RECORDS. 489 



Stranger tribe then arose and formally announced to his people the 

 desire of the envoys, stating his willingness togo to aid them, his 

 fatherless brothers, in choosing a new father. The messengers, 

 arising once more, thanked the chief for his kindness and appointed 

 a day to return to their own people. 



The ceremony known as kelhoochun then took place. The chief 

 notified his men that his brothers were ready to go, but that they 

 should not be allowed to go so soon. The small wampum string called 

 kellhoweyi or prolongation of the stay was produced at this point, 

 which read that the whole tribe, men, women and children, were 

 glad to see their brothers with them and begged them to remain a 

 day or two longer; that ''our mothers" {kigwusin), e. g., all the 

 tribal women, would keep their paddles yet a little while. This 

 meant that the messengers were not to be allowed to depart so 

 soon. 



Here followed the ceremony called N' skahuditi. A great hunt 

 was ordered by the chief and the game brought to the meeting-hall 

 and cooked there. The noochila-kalwet or herald went about the 

 village crying wikw-poosaJtin, which was intelligible to all. Men, 

 women and children immediately came to the hall with their birch- 

 bark dishes and sat about the game in a circle, while four or five 

 men with long-handled dishes distributed the food, of which every 

 person had a share. This feast v/as called kelhootwi-wikw-poosaltiu. 

 When it was over the Indians dispersed, but returned later to the 

 hall when the messengers sang again their salutation songs in honor 

 of their forefathers, in reply to which the chief of the tribe sang his 

 song of greeting. 



When the singing was over the chief seated himself in the midst 

 of the hall with a small drum in one hand and a stick in the other. 

 To the accompaniment of his drum he sang his \k' tumasooi-n ta- 

 wagunul or dance songs, which was the signal for a general dance, 

 followed by another feast. 



The envoys again appointed a day to return, but were deterred in 

 the same manner. As these feasts often lasted three weeks or a 

 month, a dance being held every night, it was frequently a long 

 time before they could go back to their own tribe, because the chief 



