236 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
The characters next explained are taken from the last line, D, of the 
series given in Pl. xvi1. The speaker appears to have great faith in his 
own powers as a Mide’. 
* 
Spirit I am, I enter. 
The otter, which Man‘ido, the speaker, professes to represent, is 
entering the sacred structure of Mide’ lodge. 
Mide’ friends, do you hear me? 
The circles denote the locality where the Mideé’ are supposed to 
4 be congregated. The waving lines signify hearing, when, as in 
this case, attached to the ears. 
The first time I heard you. 
The speaker asserts that he heard the voices of the Man‘idos 
When he went through his first initiation into the society. He is 
Still represented as the otter. 
Aah a The spirit, he does hear (?) 
> The interpretation is vague, but could not be otherwise ex- 
plained. ‘The lines from the ears denote hearing. 
The arm in the attitude of giving, to Ki/tshi Man‘ido, signifies 
that the Midé’ have made presents of sufficient value to be enabled 
NI to possess the secrets, which they received in return. 
V 
\ They, the Mide’ friends, have paid enough. 
The arms of Ki/tshi Man‘ido are extended to the Mide’ lodge, giv- 
ing assistance as besought. 
) M They have pity on me, the chief Mide’. 
_ 
ee! 
The song mnemonically represented in Pl. xvi1r A (reproduced from 
Pl. x A. of the Seventh Ann. Rep. Bur. of Ethn.) is sung by the Ojibwa 
preceptor who has been instructing the candidate for initiation. It 
praises the preceptor’s efforts and the character of the knowledge he 
has imparted. Its delivery is made to extend over as much time as 
possible. 
The mnemonic characters were drawn by Sikas/sigé, and are a copy 
of an old birchbark seroll, which has for many years been in his posses- 
