NO. 1887. CENSERS AND INCENSE OF MIDDLE AMERICA— HOUGH. 131 



life, and death of fire was a vivid reality; it is evident from a survey 

 of the widespread remnants of the fire cult that the steps of tliis 

 mysterious physical manifestation impressed his mind, determined 

 an attitude (creed), and predicted a course of action (cult) in conso- 

 nance with the observed facts of fire action. 



The lore of smoke is extensive, embracing individual acts and 

 collective acts relating to fumigations both sacred and profane. 

 Tlie ideas relative to the purification, heahng, scaring of demons, 

 removing of evil influences, etc., effected by smoke have been in the 

 minds of votaries of fire worship in divers countries and periods, 

 and it is even probable that fumigations alluded to by Shakespeare, 

 in Much Ado About Notliing, where a perfumer is ordered to 

 smoke a musty room, or when in The Taming of the Shrew tlic 

 command is given, ''And burn sweet wood to make the lodging 

 sweet," there was also involved some antique belief in dispelling bad 

 influences, which may be classed as primitive sanitation. 



The use of smoke in woreliip, however, seems to have arisen from 

 the observation that this ghostly element of combustion dissolved 

 in the air, passing away from sight mysteriously, like fog and cloud 

 vapor, thus supplying a messengel* to the unseen. It must not be 

 forgotten also that to unspoiled senses the odor of smoke would be 

 strikingly pungent and perhaps the most remarkable attribute of 

 fii'e, a potent and far-reaching means of calling the attention of 

 supernatiu-al beings, propitiating or frightening them. The Homeric 

 and JcAvish idea w^as that a sweet savor was pleasing to divinity, 

 and this appears to be the most widely diffused idea connected with 

 the burning of mcense in worship, while offerings to the fire which 

 at one time were customary may have been for the double purpose 

 of pleasing the spirits ^vith incense, and of feeding them. The offer- 

 ing w^as consimied by the fire and disappeared from human sight, 

 thus being analogous to the practice of throwing offerings into springs 

 or rivers. 



Mr. J. N. B. Hewitt informs the writer that the Iroquois use 

 tobacco smoke to make authentic a petition, and states that in the 

 New Year ceremony the Life God, whose vitality is supposed to 

 wane during the year, presents a petition for restoration, and in 

 order to give value to his petition a portion of the rite is markeil 

 by the burning of tobacco for this purpose. The solemn ceremonies 

 also connected with the calumet may involve this idea. The calumet 

 is passed around in order of official seniority during the coimcil 

 and ho who holds it affirms Ms speech by blowing a cloud of smoke. 

 Similarly, in the ratification of peace, the pipe was an important 

 adjunct, without which the terms would not be binding. It is 

 probable liore, as in many other rites connected with the use of 

 incense, that, the smoke is designed to open communication with 



