OJIBWAY HABITATIONS EUSHNELL. 611 



boundary we did not know, when the sound of a drum was distinctly 

 heard coming from an Ojibway camp far down the opposite shore, 

 some 5 miles away. Later in the day the writer, accompanied by one 

 Indian and using a light birch-bark canoe, crossed the lake and after 

 passing among many small islands reached the scene of the dance 

 Avhich was being held on rising ground immediately in the rear of 

 a group of five wigwams. Of these, two were of the long, oval form, 

 the ginon' daw an ^ the others were conical and smaller, the na' sawad' 

 gan of the Ojibway. On the rocky shore were 12 birch-bark canoes, 

 2 of which were decorated, 1 having seven vermilion spots on each 

 side extending from end to end, the other having a blue cross 

 painted on either side of each end, four in all. Less than 100 yards 

 eastward from the wigwams was a small cemetery, the graves covered 

 Avith heav}^ hewn logs, and near many were upright poles, 4 to G 

 feet in height, to the top of which were attached narrow strips of 

 cloth, some red, others white. 



The site chosen for the ceremony was immediately behind the 

 group of wigwams, away from the lake shore. The space had first 

 been cleared of brush and grass, then a circle of pine and cedar 

 boughs had been arranged. The diameter of the circle was about 40 

 feet, the height of the boughs 2 or 3 feet. The only opening faced 

 the south and just outside the circle, toward the east, stood a tama- 

 rack pole some 12 or 15 feet in height and surmounted by a roughly 

 carved wooden figure of a kingfisher, the totem of the principal 

 man of the settlement. In the center of the circle was a large drum, 

 surrounded by several men and boys who beat it in unison. Within 

 the circle a single row of mats had been spread on the ground touch- 

 ing the circle of boughs. These served as seats, the men being on 

 the western and the women and children on the eastern" side. A 

 large pine log placed on the ground against the boughs, northeast of 

 the drum, formed a seat occupied by Ahgishkemunsit — ^the King- 

 fisher — and several of the older men. 



Standing at the entrance was a young man who acted as master of 

 ceremonies and who held a piece of buckskin, about 2 feet in width 

 and 3 in length, covered on one side with eagle feathers and w^ith 

 long narrow strips of skin attached to two corners. All being in 

 readiness the men and boys began beating the drum and the man car- 

 i-ying the buckskin apron, or ehippeezimg^ entered the circle, passed 

 from left to right and stopped before the first woman to the left of 

 Ahgishkemunsit. She jumped up and assisted in fastening the apron 

 about her waist, allowing it to hang down behind. Two men 

 facing her arose and immediately the three began dancing but 

 never touching one another. They passed four times around the 

 drum, then stopped before their respective seats. The woman next 



