SWAXTON] INDIAN I'ltir.luS Ol' rill. l.DWRR IVriRSTSSUMM VALLEY 123 



temple and carofully to instruct llioir ehildivn. If anyone has (listinjiuislied 

 himself hy some act of zeal, lie is tlieii imhlicly praised. (This is als<( followed 

 Ity-the descript ion of (he ilestrm-l ion of tiie Tar-nsa lemple.l" 



It is ovidePil from these narrati\os that two harvest feasts were 

 hehl, one just after the so-caUed harvest of the " little eorii," in July 

 (Dnmont, Charlevoix, Le Petit), and a second after dial of the 

 "irreat corn." in September (Dii Pratz), or November ((Jravier). or 

 else that one feast was held, sometimes at one time, and sometimes 

 at the other. The earlier date, however, corresponds to the period 

 of the Creek Posl-it<t, and was probal)ly the more common. The 

 Charlevoix-Le Petit manuscript harmonizes other accounts in re<;ard 

 to the manner in which provisions were secured for the feast. I)u 

 Pratz states that the grain Avas gathered from a special field sowed 

 and cared for by the warriors, while Dumont implies that it w^as 

 brought in by the natives from their separate fields. It would seem 

 from this account, however, that both sources of supply were resorted 

 to, and that not only grain but all kinds of provisions were then eaten. 



WAR 



From Charlevoix : 



When a war chief wants to levy a party of poUliers, he plants, in a place 

 marked out for that purpose, two trees adorned with feathers, arrows, and 

 war clubs, all painted red, as well as the trees, which are also pricked on that 

 side which is toward the place whither they intend to carry the war. Those 

 who would enlist present themselves to the chief, well dressed, their faces 

 smeared with various colors, and declare to him the desire they have to learn 

 the art of war under his orders; that they are disposed to endure all the 

 fatijiues of war, and ready to die, if needful, for their country [ !1. 



When the chief has the number of soldiers that the expedition requires, 

 which he intends to make, he causes a drink to be prepared at his cabin, which 

 is called the medicine of war. This is a vomit, made witli a root boiled in 

 water. They give to each man two pots of it, which they must drink all at 

 once, and which they throw up again almost as soon as they have drunk it, 

 witli most violent retchings. Afterward they labor in making tlie necessary 

 preparations; and till the day set for their departure, the warriors meet every 

 evening and morning in an open place, where after nuich dancing, and telling 

 their great feats of war. everyone sings his song of death. These people are 

 not less superstitious about their dreams than the savages of Canada ; there 

 needs only a bad omen to cause them to return when they are on a march. 



The warriors march with a great deal of order, and take great precautions 

 to encamp and to rally. They often send out scouts, but they never set sentinels 

 at night. They put out all the fires, they recommend themselves to the spirits, 

 and they sleep in security, after the chief has exhortetl all not to snore too loud, 

 and to keep always their arms near them and in good condition. Their idols 

 are exposed on a long pole leaning toward the enemy, and all the warriors, 

 before they lie down, pass one after another, with their war clubs in their 

 hands, before these pretended deities; then they turn toward the enemies' coun- 

 try, and make great threatenings, which the wind often carries another way. 



» Le Petit in Jes. Rel., lxviii, 136-139. 



