THE PEACE SMOKE. 281 
is to the whites, a flag usually accompanies, 
as they have learned that this is our token of 
peace. The overture being accepted, the 
chiefs and principals of each band meet in 
council, sometimes in a wigwam, if there be 
a suitable one, else in the open air, taking 
their seats, as usual, upon their haunches ina 
circle proportioned to the number. If there 
be presents—and these are an indispensable 
earnest of friendship from the whites—the 
essence, the seal of the treaty, without which 
negotiation is vain—these are laid in the cen- 
tre. A personage in the capacity of an orderly 
sergeant then lights the calumet, which he 
hands to a principal chief, who, before smok- 
ing, usually points the stem towards the four 
cardinal points, and towards the heavens and 
the earth—then takes a certain number o 
whiffs (generally about three), and passing it 
to the next, who draws an equal number of 
whiffs, it thus continues around the circle, in 
the direction of the sun, each sending fumid 
i ie th th cal of peace and war, and the arbiter of! life and death. One, 
umet, may venture amongst his enemies, and in the 
hotts y lay their arms before this 4 
3 is not so presen a 
though the * pipe of peace’ is still very much . Eventhe 
h e calumet seem to red; for, usually afte 
smoking, the pipe is emptied in some vorner of the | specially 
allotted for the purpose. But as they have generally learned that 
S$ on these occasi it i 
smoking is not practised by the whites on t ions, it is now 
impo! for us to smo. pre- 
sents te stead ciently, however, they were more 
ariet ; for, in another place, the same author (in 1673) relates :— 
* As soon as we sat down, they presented us, accor tom, 
ir calumet, which one m —_— needs accept, for else he should be 
t upon as an enemy, or a meer brute; however, it is not neces- 
to smoak, and prerided one puts it to his mouth, it is enough.” 
24* 
