52 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 



almost totally blind, but supposed to be very powerful (see pi. 9). 

 Invitations were sent to eight members of the Mide'wKwIn. These 

 invitations were in the form of round sticks, about 5 inches in length. 

 Each member brought his invitation-stick with him, and prior to the 

 ceremony the sticks were tied in a bundle and laid on the ground at 

 the foot of the medicine pole. 



For several days before the ceremony the Mide'wInrnI sang with 

 the Mde' drum in Flat Mouth's wigwam. The singing was also con- 

 tinued at intervals throughout the entire night. The ceremony took 

 place on the afternoon of July 24, 1907. Early on the morning 

 of that day a Mide' lodge was made and Flat Mouth was taken 

 from his wigwam, carried thither, and laid upon a bed of boughs 

 shaded by small birch trees stuck into the ground. The inclosed space 

 was about 60 feet long and 20 feet wide, with rounded corners. At 

 the openings, at the east and west ends, blankets were hung between 

 tall poles. The inclosure was formed of pine branches stuck into' the 

 ground and woven together, forming a barrier about 3 feet in height. 

 Flat Mouth was laid in the place of honor at the south side of the 

 eastern entrance. A medicine pole was erected in the center of the 

 lodge about 20 feet from the eastern entrance, and between this pole 

 and the entrance were located a fire, and a kettle in which a dog 

 was cooked. 



The ceremony was given according to the fourth degree, which 

 was the degree held by Flat Mouth. The decoration of the pole cor- 

 responded to this degree. 



In the morning six members of the medicine party entered the 

 lodge, one of whom sang; he was evidently in charge of this part of 

 the ceremony. The songs were unaccompanied, the rattle being 

 used by him while marching and while "treating" Flat Mouth. The 

 rattle was similar to that shown in plates 1 and 2. 



After each song the leader led a procession around the lodge, shak- 

 ing his rattle and ejaculating Wa hi hi hi hi', Wa hi hi hi hi'. Behind 

 him came a woman with food in a pan, then a man with a rattle, then 

 a woman, then a man and a woman, each with food in a pan. After 

 circling the lodge several times the party stopped at the eastern 

 entrance and the leader made a speech, to which the others frequently 

 answered ho'. Then the leader walked before Flat Mouth, shaking 

 his rattle at arms, limbs, and body with ejaculations of ho ho ho'. 



This continued during the morning. 



In the afternoon Flat Mouth was laid upon a bed of boughs in the 

 center of the lodge, west of the medicine pole. At this time the 

 ceremony proper took place, under the direction of Ge'miwvlnac', 

 while Na'joi'se continued to act as herald and another member of 

 the party took charge of the cooking of the dog. 



