564 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



for covering, a wild-cat skin to bold the calumet, and a club or small 

 ax for making- their cabins/" 



The " Akan<;as" received Bossu with the calumet dance, first having 

 tattooed him; he thereafter smoked the calumet' as though tattooing 

 was a prerequisite or initiation to the pipe ceremony. In referring to the 

 drowning of several soldiers he says he also would have met the same 

 fate had it not have been for a generous "Akan<^'as," who, without fear- 

 ing the rigor of the weather, jumped into the water and pulled him out 

 by his capot, "a linen garment of travelers resembling a capuchon."^ 



One can with difticulty refrain from laughing at Bossu's description 

 of the function of the calumet dance given by the Missouri Indians 

 after their return from a raid to the southwest, where they had literally 

 cleaned out a Spanish mission and probably killed all those guarding it. 

 He says; "They brought here the ornaments of the chapel, in which they 

 were dressed. The chief wore over his skin the best chasuble, having 

 the patin hanging from his neck pierced by a nail and answering the 

 purpose of a gorget; lie marched at the head of the jirocession, having 

 on his head a feather bonnet and pair of horns ; he was followed by others 

 wearing stoles and maniples around their necks. Following these 

 were tliree or four savages clothed in surplices. The acolytes, contrary 

 to usage, marched at the tail of the procession, and not finding them- 

 selves sufficiently decorated, danced forward in step, holding either a 

 cross or a chandelier in their hands. Not appreciating the value of 

 sacred vessels, they had hung a chalice at a horse's neck, on the 

 principle of a bell. Imagine the ridiculous spectacle witnessed by the 

 order of this queer procession arriving at the house of M. Boisbriant, 

 lieutenant of the King, marching in step, with the great calumet of 

 peace solemnly carried in front." * 



Albert James Pickett informs us that ''the grand chief of the 

 Natchez bore the name of the sun. Every morning as soon as that lumi- 

 nary appeared he stood at the door of his cabin, turned his face 

 toward the east and bowed three times, at the same time prostrating 

 himself to the ground. A pipe, which was never used but upon this 

 occasion, was then handed to him, from which he puffed smoke, first 

 toward the sun and then toward the other three quarters of the world."^ 



Ulloa says that among the natives of Peru the use of tobacco was 

 very moderate, and that the people of the more elevated regions do 

 not smoke. In some of the lower parts of the country, where the 

 natives do use it, he says, "It is astonishing that tobacco, a product of 

 these countries, has not a more extended use among the Indians, con- 

 sidering it has become so necessary in Europe."" 



He thinks that the offering of the pipe to visitors was similar to that 

 indulged in among Orientals, accompanying it with coffee and other 

 drinks, which were similar to the Indian customs of hospitality with 



'M. Bossu, Nouveau Voyages aiix ludes Occidentales, I, p. 118, Paris, 1768. 

 2Idem, I, pp. 110, 122. » ijem, I, p. 130. ^ Idom, I, p. 17(5. 



5A History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, I, p. 130, 

 Charleston, 18.51, i|Uotiiij;' Charlevoix. 

 "Memoirs Philosophiques, p. 59, Paris, 1787. 



