16 HUNTING AND FISHING IN FLORIDA. 
shirt. The women wear a cotton dress embroidered with many 
pieces of colored calico. The young children run about naked until 
they arrive at the age of eight or ten years, when they are given a 
cotton shirt. Sometimes the small children wear some sort of 
covering during the cold weather. 
The Indians visit each other a great deal. Many of those living 
on New River go to the Big Cypress every year, usually to attend 
the Green Corn Dance and visit their relatives. 
GREEN CORN DANCE. 
THE annual festival known as the Green Corn Dance is still ob- 
served by the Indians, but it is not conducted with the same cere- 
mony as in bygone years. 
In the old days the Green Corn Dance or ‘‘ Busk” was an occa- 
sion of great importance with the Creek tribe. It then occupied 
seven or eight days, but is now reduced to four or at most five days. 
It takes place during the second week in June or during the ‘little 
moon in June,” as the Indians say. 
It is very difficult to obtain from the Indians a description of this 
dance. From time to time they would answer a few questions, but 
if pressed for information they immediately become reticent. The 
dance usually lasts four days, according to the statement of most of 
the Indians, although some claim that it is decided by the medi- 
cine man whether it shall last four or five days. Two weeks 
previous to the day of the dance notice is sent by Indian messengers 
to the different clans and villages stating the date of the ceremony. 
They keep account of the days which intervene by hanging up a 
number of small sticks representing the days, and one is taken down 
each day. When the last one is thrown away they repair to the 
point selected for the feast. 
On the evening of the first day the ceremony of taking the ‘‘ black 
drink” occurs. It is believed that unless one drinks of this he will 
be ‘sick ”” after eating the green corn. It is not as carefully carried 
out as in the old days, and I do not understand that the fire is now 
