22 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 99 



The considerable role the fire plays in divination ceremonies is 

 retained for discussion in a future paper dealing with that subject, 

 when also the use made of the fire in a "man-killing" ceremony 

 will be amply described. 



Jhe Moon.- — The moon, although he is the brother of the sun 

 (see p. 20), is not very prominent in the tribal mythology, nor does he 

 play a part of any importance in the folklore. 



It would appear, however, that this loss of popularity is of rather 

 recent date, since very old customs, such as the "going to water" 

 (see p. 150), with every new moon seem to indicate that the moon cult 

 must once have been of far greater unportance than it is now. 



The diseases held to be caused by the moon are very scarce; bUnd- 

 ness is one of them. It is furthermore believed that if, at new moon, 

 a person sees the lominary for the first time through the trees he will 

 be ill all the following month. It may be that originally this illness 

 was considered to be caused by the moon, but such a belief does not 

 exist now; it is now merely looked upon as an omen. (See p. 37.) 



The moon is never appealed to with a view to dispelling disease. 

 This offers the more cause for surprise, as the moon must once have 

 been the object of great respect. It is still occasionally addressed as 

 "grandparent," the only spirit to share this honor with the Sun and 

 the Fire. 



The Cherokee believe that when a person sees the new moon of the 

 month the first time he must look at him and say : 



G9"yo-'li'Ga' €Di;-'du e'ti skt'^nu.ste'sti' 



I greet thee maternal grandfather long time this like it will be 



i-y^-npa k'tla'Ji'' Dt'GtndaGo"wa.t5".ti' *iG€'"S€*sti' 



over there continually thou and I to be seeing one it wDl be 



another 



("How do, Grandpa! At the time when it will be like this again 

 (i. e., next month) we wiU still be seeing each other." (i. e., I will still 

 be alive.) 



Pronouncing this salutation formula is a sure means of safeguarding 

 against all sickness or accidents throughout the ensuing month. 



The River. — The River cult of the Cherokee has formed the object 

 of a paper read by James Mooney before the Columbus meeting of the 

 American Association for the Advancement of Science, ia August, 

 1899, and which has been reprinted.'^ This paper is practically 

 exhaustive, and what small additional points of information have 

 been obtained subsequently by Mooney or by me will be found in 

 their relevant places in these pages. 



" The Cherokee River Cult, in JAFL., January- March, 1900, pp. 1-10. 



