TIIIC SKMIXOIJ.; INDIANS. jg 



The -black drink "was made Iro.n a shrub f„und in (;e(.r<ria 

 and Carohna, and Northern h^orichu which is called rass7;;a. 

 Ihe leaves were collected and boiled over a lire : thev were then 

 poured from one pan to another until ier.nentation "took place 

 when It was considered ready for use. In ancient times it was a 

 custom of the Indians during this celebration to seat themsehes in a 

 cn-cle around the l^re, and three youn<r men handed gourds full of 

 tlie black drink to three of the greatest chiefs present. The young 

 men then stepped back a few paces and uttered what was known as 

 the black drink cry, first exclaiming loudlv the word - choh " \t 

 this signal the three chiefs drank from the" huge gourds, the youncr 

 men uttering the wailing note, and the chiefs drank until the note 

 ended. The gourds were then taken from the mouths of the war- 

 riors and the young men handed them to the chiefs next in rank 

 pronouncing the word - choh,'' but the cry of the black drink was 

 not uttered, as none were entitled to this distinction except those 

 highest in power. After drinking the concoction the warriors dis- 

 gorged it, and we are told that it was considered praisewortlu' to be 

 able to do this gracefully. 



The Indians are warned by their medicine men not to eat corn 

 until after the celebration of the Green Corn Dance. 



William Freeman, of Litde River, who has lived near the Indians 

 for many years, told me how, on one occasion, Dr. Tiger w^as at his 

 house when he had green corn for dinner : it was some^veeks before 

 the Green Corn Dance was to take place, and Dr. Tiger looked 

 wistfully at the corn and asked, - You eat green corn novv'r " Free- 

 man answ^ered, " Me like corn plenty now." 



Tiger went on wath his meal, but did not eat any corn, although 

 he seemed troubled about something. At last he told Freeman tirat 

 the Indians were warned by their medicine men not to eat green corn 

 before the annual celebration, as it would make them illt - Make 

 Indian sick," as he expressed it. 



It seems, according to Tiger^s statement, that some of the scpiaws 

 and children ha\e eaten green corn before the dance, but the men 

 never eat it. 



