548 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



sometimes clapping their bands and throwing them up on high, looking 

 up to the heavens and uttering barbarous and dissonant words." ' 



This is the lirst account north of Mexico of the dance of the calumet, of 

 which the French travelers so often speak, and which the Omaha and 

 othertribesyetindiilgein. Accordingto llakluyt, TTariot remarks that — 

 The uppowoc is of so precious estimation among them that they think 

 their Gods are marvelously delighted tlierewith, whereupon they some- 

 times make hallowed tires and cast some of the powder therein for a 

 sacrifice; being in a storm upon the waters, to pacify their Gods, they 

 cast some up into the air and into the water; so a weare for fish being 

 newly set up thej' cast some therein and into the air; also after an 

 escape of danger they cast some into the air likewise, but all done with 

 strange gestures, stamping, sometimes dancing, clapping of hands, 

 sometimes holding up of hands and staring up into the heavens utter- 

 ing therewithall and chattering strange words and noises. We our- 

 selves during the time we were there used to suck it after their manner, 

 and also since our return, and have found many rare and wonderful 

 experiments of the virtues thereof, of which the relation would require 

 a volume by itself, the use of by so many of late, men and women of 

 great calling and some learned Physicians, also is sufticient wituess.'- 



Capt. John Smith, a few years later (1607), speaking of the " Wero- 

 wance" of "Eappahanah," says ''he caused his mat to be spread on the 

 ground, where he sat down with a great majesty, taking a pipe of 

 tobacco, the rest of his company standing about him," and he further 

 says " there was a garden of tobacco there. * * * These people 

 have a great reverence for the sun above all things, at the rising and 

 the setting of the same they making a round circle on the ground with 

 dried tobacco, then they began to pray.'' ' 



Somewhat after the same manner Smith, in 1008, says : " When the 

 waters begin to run high they haste away to the seaside or the banks 

 of the rivers, and after several invocations and outcries made, they 

 throw tobacco, copper, and other trash into the water, this is in order 

 to appease that power which they believe to be very angry upon such 

 occasions, and must have some such oiferings made him before he will 

 be quiet again." ^ 



William Strachey, in 1612, evidently referring to this paragraph, 

 quaintly says : "They have also another kind of sorcery which they 

 use in storms — a kind of botonomantia with herbes; when the waters 

 are rough in the rivers and seacoasts their conjurers run to the waters' 

 sides. After many hellish outcries they cast tobacco, copper, or such 

 trash into the water to i)acify that god whom they think to be very 

 angry in those storms."-^ 



' William Stith, History of the tirst Discovery and Settlement of Virginia, pj). 17, 

 19, Sabin reprint, New York, 1865. 



-Thomas llariot, Hakhiyt's Voyages, III, p. 330, London, 1810; reprint of Loudon 

 edition of 1(300. 



' A Discourse of the Plantation of the Southern Colony of Virginia in Introduc- 

 tion to Arber's edition of Smith's Works, pp. Ixviii-lxxi, Plate xv, quoting G. Percy. 



' John Harris, A^oyages and Travels, I, p. 846, London, 1705. 



•'' Histone of Travaille into Virginia, p. 93, (Hakluyt Society). 



