Pipes 



145 



And pipe in mouth the nations of to-day, like 

 the tribes of America, meet on a common ground, 

 that of tobacco, their common friend and consoler. 

 It was not mere fancy and poetry, beautiful as is 

 the sentiment, that made the Red Indians regard 

 smoking as symbolic of friendly intercourse and a 

 guarantee for peace. In fact as well as fiction, physi- 

 cally as well as poetically, smoking is peaceful and 

 amicable. 



The calumet, or peace-pipe, is the most sacred 

 possession of each tribe, and handed down from 

 generation to generation. The bowl is made of 

 the sacred red-stone ; the stem, 4 or 5 feet long, is 

 fastened to the bowl by leather thongs, and gaily 

 decorated with the brightest eagles' feathers, tufts of 

 ribbon, and glass beads. Each tribe has its dis- 

 tinctive pipe, and an Indian can tell to what tribe a 

 pipe belongs as easily as a soldier recognises the 

 regiment of a fighting man from his uniform. The 

 calumet was only smoked to ratify treaties and peace, 

 and then with much ceremony. After the conditions 

 of the treaty of peace had been settled, the chief 

 solemnly brought in the calumet, and removed its 

 wrappings. Filling and lighting it, he pointed the 

 stem to the north, south, east, west, to the sky, the 

 earth, and the fire, as an offering to the spirits ; 

 then solemnly inhaling one puff of the smoke, he 

 passed the pipe to the next brave. He likewise gave 

 his assent and oath to the agreement by inhaling 

 one puff of smoke, and passed it on round the circle 

 of sitting braves. No more inviolable pledge and 

 sacred oath could an Indian give than that of the 



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