150 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 99 



with a ver\^ loud voice, to return God thanks for his safe arrival. 

 The loudness and uncouthness of liis singing, and the oddity of his 

 person, drew a vast crowd of boats, filled with spectators from all 

 the ships in the harbour . . . ," etc. (1. c, 115). 



I know many Cherokee who even now would not go to a social 

 gathering, such as a ball game, a dance, etc., without first having 

 recited or smig one of these formulas. 



Moreover, this kind of formula may be sung by a married couple at 

 night to ward off any machinations that might be undertaken against 

 their conjugal happiness. 



There are not many of these prayers left and the Ay. manuscript 

 does not contain a single specimen of them. 



For Long Life 

 cana''yi Dt''Dadzo°'st'tD.ti' nGQ-'wutH 



water, Loc. to lead them to, and for the pur- 



bring them back with pose of 



Since these formulas are practically used only in connection with 

 the rite of "going to water," their name is referred to in this way. 



The ritual of going to water is performed by the Cherokee with 

 very different ends in view: To obtain long life (which is by far the 

 more important), to cast off a disease, for the benefit of a pregnant 

 woman and her baby, to "work" against an enemy, in love matters, 

 not to speak of the regular ceremony at every new moon, when each 

 family is supposed to observe it. 



As a rule these prayers are the most lengthy and poetic in the col- 

 lections. They are generally recited by the priests when taking 

 patrons to the river; they are unloiown to the laity. Nos. 18, 43, 

 83, 92, and 93 of the Ay. manuscript belong to this Idnd. 



For Gathering Medicine 

 n9*'w.o-tT aGt'stfyi' 



to treat with to take it 



This name is given to the prayers recited when gathering medicine; 

 they are usually addressed to i'ne"tlano'H the Apportioner, the chief 

 deity, and ask in a hmnble, meek way for His permission to come and 

 gather the medicine. 



To this class might also be reckoned the formulas that are recited 

 when putting the simples into the vessel to be boiled : 



n9*'wo-t'i' aG5'tlam'ct!9"'.i 



to treat with to pal it iu it 



There are no specimens of this land in the Ay. manuscript. They 

 are unknown to the laity. 



