264 GREEN-CORN DANCE. 
ral days, commencing when the new crop be- 
gins toripen. A large arbor of green branches 
is usually prepared, and numerous parties of 
both sexes dance in a body to their native, 
songs and rude instrumental music, accom- 
panied by their monotonous “heh! heh! heh!” 
with a chorus of yells at intervals; and their 
movements are attended with the most com- 
ical gesticulations. Having passed through 
a course of ‘ purification’ by drinking a decoc- 
tion of certain stimulant herbs, prepared by 
their medicine-men, and put out all the fires, 
they strike fire anew by rubbing sticks together; 
and a quantity of corn, pulse and other fruits 
of the season, being cooked with the ‘new 
fire,’ the dance is closed with a general feast. 
Each family, as it is said, then takes a supply 
rom the ‘new breed’ of fire. A more inter- 
esting and salutary influence of this custom, 
which is said to prevail among some tribes at 
this festival, is the cancelling or composing 
of all old difficulties and disputes. 
The most advanced of these border nations, 
the Cherokees and the united tribes of the 
Choctaws and Chickasaws, have adopted sys- 
tems of government, which are based upon 
the constitutions of our States. The Cherokee 
being the most complete, some account of it 
may not be out of place in this connection. 
A council or convention of the wise men 
of the nation was convened on the first of July, 
1839, who framed a constitution, somewhat 
resembling one previously established in the 
‘Old Nation, of which the following are the 
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