478 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



priests are painted so uglye as they can devise ; in their hands they carry every 

 one his rattle, for the most part as a symbole of his place and profession, 

 some basse, some smaller. (Strachey, 1849, p. 91.) 



References to certain articles of attire, or rather ornament, in other 

 places and similar notes by Smith possibly refer to medicine men 

 rather than common people. Beverley reproduces White's figures of 

 priest and conjurer, and his descriptions are based upon them but he 

 seems to have a few details from another source. He also adds an 

 illustration of a medicine man, probably from Michel. His words 

 are as follows : 



The habit of the Indian priest, is a Cloak made in the form of a Woman's 

 Petticoat ; but instead of tying it about their middle, they fasten the gatherings 

 about their Neck, and tye it upon the Right Shoulder always keeping one Arm 

 out to use upon occasion. This Cloak hangs even at the bottom, but reaches no 

 lower than the middle of the Thigh ; but what is most particular in it, is, that 

 it is constantly made of a skin drest soft, with the Pelt or Furr on the outside, 

 and revers'd; insomuch, that when the Cloak has been a little worn, the hair 

 falls down in flakes, and looks very shagged, and frightful. 



The cut of their Hair is likewise peculiar to their Function ; for 'tis all shaven 

 close except a thin Crest, like a Cocks-comb which stands bristling up, and runs 

 in a semi-circle from the Forehead up along the Crown to the nape of the Neck : 

 They likewise have a border of Hair over the Forehead, which by its own natural 

 strength, and by the stiffning it receives from Grease and Paint, will stand out 

 like the peak of a Bonnet. . . . 



The Conjurer shaves all his Hair off, except the Crest on the Crown, upon his 

 Ear he wears the skin of some dark colour'd Bird ; he, as well as the Priest, is 

 commonly grim'd with Soot or the like ; to save his modesty he hangs an Otter- 

 skin at his Girdle, fastening the Tail between his Legs ; upon his Thigh hangs his 

 Pocket, which is fastn'd by tucking it under his Girdle, the bottom of this likewise 

 is fring'd with Tassils for ornament sake. (Beverley, 1705 pis. 3, 4.) 



The "chief doctor, or physician" of the Santee nation met by Lawson 

 in 1701 "was warmly and neatly clad with a match coat, made of 

 turkies feathers, which makes a pretty show, seeming as if it was a 

 garment of the deepest silk shag" (Lawson, 1860, p. 37) . 



Turning to the Creeks we find, according to Bartram that : 



The junior priests or students constantly wear the mantle or robe, which is 

 white ; and they have a great owl skin cased and stuffed very ingeniously, so well 

 executed, as almost to represent the living bird, having large sparkling glass 

 beads, or buttons, fixed in the head for eyes ; this ensign of wisdom and divina- 

 tion, they wear sometimes as a crest on the top of the head, at other times the 

 image sits on the arm, or is borne on the hand. (Bartram, 1792, p. 502.) 



A very excellent description of the costume of the Chickasaw 

 "Archi-magus," which in all probability was identical with that for- 

 merly adopted by the Creek Hilis-haya, is given by Adair : 



Before the Indian Archi-magus oflSciates in making the supposed holy fire, for 

 the yearly atonement of sin, the Sagan clothes him with a white ephod, which is 

 a waistcoat without sleeves. When he enters on that solemn duty, a beloved 

 attendant spreads a white-drest buck-skin on the white seat, which stands close to 



