﻿HomiAN. 
  l 
  PREPARATORY 
  INSTRUCTION. 
  189 
  

  

  About 
  a 
  hundred 
  yards 
  east 
  of 
  the 
  main 
  entrance 
  is 
  constructed 
  a 
  

   wig'iwain 
  or 
  sweat 
  lodge, 
  to 
  be 
  used 
  by 
  the 
  candidate, 
  both 
  to 
  take 
  

   his 
  vapor 
  baths 
  and 
  to 
  receive 
  final 
  instructions 
  from 
  his 
  preceptor. 
  

  

  This 
  wig'iwain 
  is 
  dome-shaped 
  measures 
  about 
  10 
  feet 
  in 
  diame- 
  

   ter 
  and 
  6 
  feet 
  high 
  in 
  the 
  middle, 
  with 
  an 
  opening 
  at 
  the 
  top 
  which 
  

   can 
  be 
  readily 
  covered 
  with 
  a 
  piece 
  of 
  bark. 
  The 
  framework 
  of 
  

   the 
  structure 
  consists 
  of 
  saplings 
  stuck 
  into 
  the 
  ground, 
  the 
  tops 
  be- 
  

   ing 
  bent 
  over 
  to 
  meet 
  others 
  from 
  the 
  opposite 
  side. 
  Other 
  thin 
  

   saplings 
  are 
  then 
  lashed 
  horizontally 
  to 
  the 
  upright 
  ones 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  

   appear 
  like 
  hoops, 
  decreasing 
  in 
  size 
  as 
  the 
  summit 
  is 
  reached. 
  They 
  

   are 
  secured 
  by 
  using 
  strands 
  of 
  basswood 
  bark. 
  The 
  whole 
  is 
  then 
  

   covered 
  with 
  pieces 
  of 
  birchbark 
  — 
  frequently 
  the 
  bark 
  of 
  the 
  pine 
  is 
  

   used 
  — 
  leaving 
  a 
  narrow 
  opening 
  on 
  the 
  side 
  facing 
  the 
  Mide'wigan, 
  

   which 
  may 
  be 
  closed 
  with 
  an 
  adjustable 
  flap 
  of 
  bark 
  or 
  blankets. 
  

  

  The 
  space.between 
  the 
  Mide'wigan 
  and 
  the 
  sweat 
  lodge 
  must 
  be 
  

   kept 
  clear 
  of 
  other 
  temporary 
  shelters, 
  which 
  might 
  be 
  placed 
  there 
  

   by 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  numerous 
  visitors 
  attending 
  the 
  ceremonies. 
  

  

  FIRST 
  DEGREE. 
  

   PREPARATORY 
  INSTRUCTION. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  candidate's 
  application 
  for 
  reception 
  into 
  the 
  Mide'- 
  

   wiwin 
  has 
  been 
  received 
  by 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  officiating 
  priests, 
  he 
  calls 
  

   upon 
  the 
  three 
  assisting 
  Mide', 
  inviting 
  them 
  to 
  visit 
  him 
  at 
  his 
  own 
  

   wig'iwam 
  at 
  a 
  specified 
  time. 
  When 
  the 
  conference 
  takes 
  place, 
  to- 
  

   bacco, 
  which 
  has 
  been 
  previously 
  furnished 
  by 
  the 
  candidate, 
  is 
  dis~ 
  

   tributed 
  and 
  a 
  smoke 
  offering 
  made 
  to 
  Ki'tshi 
  Man'ido, 
  to 
  propitiate 
  

   his 
  favor 
  in 
  the 
  deliberations 
  about 
  to 
  be 
  undertaken. 
  The 
  host 
  then 
  

   explains 
  the 
  object 
  of 
  the 
  meeting, 
  and 
  presents 
  to 
  his 
  auditors 
  an 
  

   account 
  of 
  the 
  candidate's 
  previous 
  life 
  ; 
  he 
  recounts 
  the 
  circumstances 
  

   of 
  his 
  fast 
  and 
  dreams, 
  and 
  if 
  the 
  candidate 
  is 
  to 
  take 
  the 
  place 
  of 
  a 
  

   lately 
  deceased 
  son 
  who 
  had 
  been 
  prepared 
  to 
  receive 
  the 
  degree, 
  the 
  

   fact 
  is 
  mentioned, 
  as 
  under 
  such 
  circumstances 
  the 
  forms 
  would 
  be 
  

   different 
  from 
  the 
  ordinary 
  method 
  of 
  reception 
  into 
  the 
  society. 
  The 
  

   subject 
  of 
  presents 
  and 
  gifts 
  to 
  the 
  individual 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  society, 
  

   as 
  well 
  as 
  those 
  intended 
  to 
  be 
  given 
  as 
  a 
  fee 
  to 
  the 
  officiating 
  priests, 
  

   is 
  also 
  discussed 
  : 
  and 
  lastly, 
  if 
  all 
  things 
  are 
  favorable 
  to 
  the 
  appli- 
  

   cant, 
  the 
  selection 
  of 
  an 
  instructor 
  or 
  preceptor 
  is 
  made, 
  this 
  person 
  

   being 
  usually 
  appointed 
  from 
  among 
  these 
  four 
  priests. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  conference 
  is 
  ended 
  the 
  favorable 
  decision 
  is 
  announced 
  

   to 
  the 
  applicant, 
  who 
  acknowledges 
  his 
  pleasure 
  by 
  remitting 
  to 
  each 
  

   of 
  the 
  four 
  priests 
  gifts 
  of 
  tobacco. 
  He 
  is 
  told 
  what 
  instructor 
  would 
  

   be 
  most 
  acceptable 
  to 
  them, 
  when 
  he 
  repairs 
  to 
  the 
  wig'iwam 
  of 
  the 
  

   person 
  designated 
  and 
  informs 
  him 
  of 
  his 
  wish 
  and 
  the 
  decision 
  of 
  

   the 
  Mide' 
  council. 
  

  

  The 
  designated 
  preceptor 
  arranges 
  with 
  his 
  pupil 
  to 
  have 
  certain 
  

   days 
  upon 
  which 
  the 
  latter 
  is 
  to 
  call 
  and 
  receive 
  instruction 
  and 
  ac- 
  

  

  