THOMAS] FESTIVALS HELD IN THE DIFFERENT MONTHS. 219 



idols. During the month Pop, thei'e were also some of the most devout 

 men who continued to celebrate this feast with their friends, such as the 

 nobles and priests, they being, before others, always the first in the rejoic- 

 ings and festivities. 



13. — During the month Uo, the priests, the medicine-men, and the sor- 

 cerers, wliicli were all the same, commenced, by fasting and other acts of 

 piety, to prepare for the celebration of another feast which the hunters and 

 fishermen celebrated on the seventh day of the month Zip; each of them 

 celebrated it on his own day on his part, the priests being the first. They 

 gave to this feast the name of Pocam. Having assembled, covered with* 

 their ornaments, at the house of the chief, they first dispelled the evil spirits 

 as before; they then uncovered their books and laid them open on a carpet 

 of leaves which they had prepared for this purpose. They then invoked 

 with great devotion a god called CincJiau-Yzamna, who had, they said, been 

 the first priest; they offered him divers ^ii'esents and burnt before him in 

 the new fire some balls of incense. During this time others diluted in a 

 vessel a little verdigris and pure water, which they said was brought from 

 a wood in which no woman had ever penetrated ; they moistened with it 

 the leaves of their books in order to cleanse them; this finished, the most 

 learned of the priests opened a book in which he examined the omens of the 

 year, which he announced to all those who were present. He then talked 

 to them for a short time, advising them as to what they should do to pre- 

 vent these evil things, and announced the same feast for the next year to 

 the priest or noble who was to celebrate it; if he should die in the mean 

 time, it devolved upon his son to celebrate it in his place. When this was 

 concluded, all feasted together upon the food and ofterings of drinks, drink- 

 ing like wine-bibbers. Thus was completed the feast, during which they 

 executed a dance called Okot-UU. 



C. — The following day, the medicine-men and sorcerers assembled Avith 

 their wives at the house of one of their number. The ])riests expelled the 

 evil spirit; after which they opened their medicine-bags, in which they 

 kept a number of charms, and, each in particular, some little images of the 

 goddess of medicine, which they called IxcJiel, whence the nan>e of the fes- 



