1897.] PRINCE — THE PASSAMAQUODDY WAMPUM RECORDS. 495 



went to the wigwam of the girl's father, generally accompanied by 

 as many witnesses as cared to attend. The herald read the marriage 

 wampum in the presence of the girl and her father, formally stating 

 that such and such a suitor sought his daughter's hand in marriage. 

 The herald, accompanied by his party, then returned to the young 

 man's wigwam to await the reply. After the girl's father had noti- 

 fied his relatives and friends and they had given their consent, the 

 wedding was permitted to go on. 



The usual ceremonies then followed. Tlie young man first pre- 

 sented the bride-elect with a new dress. She, after putting it on, 

 went to her suitor's wigwam with her female friends, where she and 

 her company formally saluted him by shaking hands. This was 

 called wulisakowdowagoji or salutation. She then returned to her 

 father's house, where she seated herself with her following of old 

 women and girls. The groom then assembled a company of his 

 friends, old and young men, and went with them to the bride's 

 wngwam to salute her in the same manner. When these salutations 

 were over a great feast was prepared by the bride, enough for all 

 the people, men, women and children. The bridegroom also pre- 

 pared a similar feast. Both of these dinners vrere cooked in the 

 open air and when the food was ready they cried out k' waltewall 

 ''your dishes." Every one understood this, which was the signal 

 for the merry-makers to approach and fall to. 



The marriage ceremonies, however, were not over yet. The 

 wedding party arrayed themselves in their best attire and formed 

 two processions, that of the bride entering the assembly wigwam 

 first. In later times it was customary to fire a gun at this point as 

 a signal that the bride was in the hall, whereupon the groom's pro- 

 cession entered the hall in the same manner, when a second gun 

 was fired. The geptins of the tribe and one of the friends of the 

 bride then conducted the girl to the bridegroom to dance with him. 

 At midnight after the dancing a supper was served, to which the 

 bride and groom went together and where she ate with him for the 

 first time. The couple were then addressed by an aged man {no- 

 hmikokemii) on the duties of marriage. 



Finally, a number of old women accompanied the newly made 

 wife to her husband's wigwam, carrying with them her bed-clothes. 

 This final ceremony was called natboonaji, taking or carrying tlie 

 bed. 



The End. 



