570 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



the pipe to the left of the one smoking'; at times it is passed from the 

 smoker back to the ofticiating chief, when he passes it to his right, but 

 to the left of the smoker. The significance is that it must go with 

 the sun. 



Maximilian von Wied, in referring to the Blackfeet, says: "If you 

 visit an Indian in his tent, the pipe is immediately taken, which in com- 

 l)any is generally circulated to the left. The owner of the house often 

 blows the smoke to the sun, then to the earth. One takes a few wliifts 

 and passes it on. The smoke is drawn right into the lungs. The last 

 smoker never i)asses it back, but gives it to the one sitting in the row 

 opposite to him and it goes again to the left."^ 



Father P. J. De Smet refers to the calumet customs as they existed 

 in 1841 among the "Pottawatomies or Northern Nations (Algonciuins), 

 its sacredness, its colors, feathers, and always being part of all religious 

 ceremonies." ^ 



Catlin, in one of his descriptions, says the pipe is ornamented with 

 tlie quills of the war eagle and wrapjied in many bandages, and is 

 only used in making treaties.^ He says, concerning the smoking of the 

 Sioux: "In their native state they are excessive smokers and would 

 seem to be smoking one-half of their lives. There are many weeds 

 and leaves and barks of trees which the Indians dry and pulverize 

 and carry in pouches and smoke to great excess, and in several of 

 the languages when thus prepared is called k'nick k'neck."^ 



Miss Alice Fletcher informs the writer that among the Dakotas and 

 Sioux the pipe is an implement of ceremony, and so employed ; and that 

 for all ceremony the pipe is prominent. The Moki, Dr. J. W. Fewkes 

 informs the writer, use different herbs in their ceremonies, at times as 

 many as six. Having given a chief some spruce from near Santa Fe, 

 New Mexico, the latter said it was good for the pipe, because it was the 

 most eastern place he knew, and they desired herbs from as great dis- 

 tances as possible from each of the four world quarters, as it made the 

 best medicine. Ordinarily they smoke Nicotiana attenuata, but in for- 

 mal smoking they use no manufactured American tobacco. The pipe 

 bearer lights the pipe with a corncob and carries it in both hands with 

 the bowl down and away from him ; he hands it to the chief, who smokes 

 six whiffs to the north, west, south, and east, then up and down on 

 the altar. The dhief then hands the pipe to the one on the left. The 

 last man in the row hands it back to the pi[)e bearer. If there is a 

 second line of persons on the opposite side of the altar, the pipe bearer 

 smokes and i)asses it to his right; but it must be another pi])e. The 

 above refers to a ceremonial smoke. There is one head chief; the pipe 



1 Maxhuilian von Wied, Reise in das Innere Nord Amerika, I, p. 570, Coblenz, 1839. 



^ A Narrative of a Year's Residence Among tlie Indian Tribes of the Rooky Moun- 

 tains, p. 157, rhiladelphia, 1843. 



3 George Catlin, Letters and Notes on the Manners and Customs of the North 

 American Indians, I, p. 235, New York, 1844. 



^dem, I, p. 234. 



