Tooker] ETHNOGRAPHY OF THE HURON 113 



of glass beads of different colors. Another intimated that he de- 

 sired an andacwander feast. In guessing the riddle, they threw an 

 object at the person and said "It is that." If this was really his de- 

 sire, he said that it had been found. Immediately, all those in the 

 house rejoiced by striking against the pieces of bark that formed 

 their house walls. The patient felt relieved each time a riddle had 

 been guessed. (It was found in the council held at the end of this 

 ceremony that 100 riddles had been guessed during the ceremony.) 

 If what was guessed was not the answer to the riddle, the asker re- 

 plied that they were near it, but that was not what he desired. He 

 took the present, however, so that he might show it in other houses 

 and thus better indicate what it was not, so that by elimination they 

 were better prepared to tell what it was. Later, he brought back 

 what was given him, keeping only that which was really his desire. 

 Both the running through the houses and the guessing of riddles was 

 repeated each of the 3 nights and 3 days that the ceremony lasted. 

 On the third day, the sick woman went for the second time through 

 the houses and indicated her last and principal desire in the form of 

 a riddle, as the others had done previously. She was accompanied by 

 a number of people, "with the faces, appearance, and attitudes of 

 persons afflicted and penitent," some following her and some going 

 before, none of whom might say a word. While this part of the 

 ceremony was going on, no one should be outside of the houses, so 

 those who were escorting the sick person gestured to those outside 

 that they should go indoors. In each house, the woman related her 

 troubles and indicated that her recovery depended upon the satisfac- 

 tion of her last desire. This she gave in the form of a riddle and each 

 one threw to the sick woman what he thought it might be. Those 

 who were attending the sick woman collected all these things and went 

 out laden with kettles, pots, skins, robes, blankets, cloaks, necklaces, 

 belts, leggings, shoes, corn, fish; in short everything that was used 

 by the Indians. Finally the woman gave so many hints that her 

 answer was found. At once there was a general rejoicing of all the 

 people, indicated by striking against the bark walls. She returned 

 a third time through all the houses to thank them for the health she 

 had recovered. After this, the last general council was held, at 

 which time a report was made of all that had taken place. Then 

 the last present, the last desire of the sick woman over and above what 

 that individual who had guessed it had been able to give, was pre- 

 sented to her and the ceremony ended ( JR 17 : 165-187) . 



Sometimes the desire in this ceremony was that, among other things, 

 the patient's house be furnished anew. In this case, the ill person had 

 to give away all that he possessed during the 3 days in which people 

 went through the houses stating their desires. If, as sometimes 

 happened, a single wooden plate was retained for sentimental reasons. 



