THE CALUMET. 



41 



the Coteau des Prairies in the Sioux country already 

 noted, and is affixed to a stem 4 or 5 feet in length. 

 The earliest travellers in North America noted this 

 custom : the Knight Montmagny, Governor of Canada 

 in 1645, used it to confirm the treaty of peace with 

 Algonquins, Montagnez, Hurons, and Cherokees ; one 

 of the latest travellers, the American artist Catlin, 

 has also described it, and accompanied his description 

 with the sketch we now copy. 



" The calumet, or pipe of peace, ornamented with 

 the war-eagle's quills, is a sacred pipe, and never 



allowed to be used on any other occasion than that of 

 peace -making, when the chief brings it into treaty, 

 and unfolding the many bandages which are carefully 

 kept around it, has it ready to be mutually smoked by 

 the chiefs, after the terms of the treaty are agreed 

 upon, as the means of solemnising it ; which is done 

 by passing the sacred stem to each chief, who draws 

 one breath of smoke only through it, thereby passing 



