176 



feathers of the eagle, and other large birds. 

 Bandayes full of brooches were tied round their 

 foreheads. Their clothes 'neatly worked with por- 

 cupine quills and beads, and large wampum belts 

 around the middle. Their moccasons and leg- 

 gins strung with bits of brass and beads, worked 

 full of porcupine quills and horse hair dyed red. 

 In this finical, gaudy dress, they all assembled in 

 a place prepared for the purpose, near the village, 

 in the fore part of the day. The men only par- 

 take of the feast, but the women are distant 

 spectators ; for they are never suffered to eat with 

 the men, neither at feasts, nor in their own fami- 

 lies, when strangers are present. This, however, 

 does not prevent them from decorating themselves 

 for the occasion. After all had assembled, the 

 head chief of the village addressed the company 

 in an impressive speech, in which he informed 

 them, that it had been a practice, time immemo- 

 rial, to celebrate the return of the spring, by a 

 feast to the Great Spirit. He recommended to 

 them peaceable and friendly behaviour, and told 

 them, that as the Great Spirit had given them an 

 unclouded sky, he was well pleased with their in- 

 tention, and that each one should be careful not 

 to offend him by improper conduct. After the 

 address, the company were seated, and the head 

 chief opened his medicine bag, from which he 

 drew the sacred stem or pipe. This he placed 

 on the forked sticks set in the ground before him 

 for the purpose. Fire was then brought, and he 



