122 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



should not be allowed to go so soon. The small wampum string 

 called kellhoweyi or prolongation of the stay was produced at this 

 point, which read that the whole tribe, men, women and children, 

 were glad to see their brothers with them and begged them to re- 

 main a day or two longer; that " our mothers " (kigwusin), that is, 

 all the tribal women, would keep their paddles yet a little while. 

 This meant that the messengers were not to be allowed to depart 

 so soon. 



Here followed the ceremony called N'skahudin. A great hunt 

 was ordered by the chief and the game brought to the meeting hall 

 and cooked there. The noochila-kalwet or herald went about the 

 village crying wikw-poosaltin, which was intelligible to all. Men, 

 women and children immediately came to the hall with their birch- 

 bark dishes and sat about the game in a circle, while four or five 

 men with long-handled dishes distributed the food, of which every 

 person had a share. The feast was called kelhootwi-wikw- 

 poosaltiu. When it was all over the Indians dispersed, but re- 

 turned later to the hall when the messengers sang again their 

 salutation songs in honor of their forefathers, in reply to which 

 the chief of the tribe sang his song of greeting. 



When the singing was over the chief seated himself in the midst 

 of the hall with a small drum in one hand and a stick in the other. 

 To the accompaniment of his drum he sang his k'tumasooi- 

 n'tawagunul or dance songs, which was the signal for a general 

 dance, followed by another feast. 



The envoys again appointed a day to return, but were deterred 

 in the same manner. As these feasts often lasted three weeks or a 

 month, a dance being held every night, it was frequently a long 

 time before they could go back to their own tribe, because the chief 

 would detain them whenever they wished to return. Such was the 

 custom. 



THE CEREMONY OF INSTALLATION 

 When they reached home, however, and the embassies from the 

 other Wabanaki tribes had also returned, the people of the be- 

 reaved tribe were summoned to assemble before the messengers, who 

 informed them of the success of their mission. When the delegates 

 from the other tribes, who had been appointed to elect the chief, had 

 arrived and the salutation and welcome ceremonies had been per- 

 formed, an assembly was called to elect the chief. 



This took place about the second day after the arrival of the 

 other Wabanaki representatives. A suitable person, a member of 

 the bereaved tribe, was chosen by acclamation for the office of chief. 



