177 



lighted the pipe, and Mowed the smoke to the east, 

 south, west, and north; after which he handed 

 the pipe to the chief next to him, on the right, 

 who smoked two or three whiff's and passed it to 

 the next, and so on, until it had gone round the 

 company. f 



The provisions were now brought forward, 

 composed entirely of dog's flesh, and placed be- 

 fore the great chief, and each one sent his dish to 

 him, in turn ; for before they came, everyone 

 took care to provide a dish for himself. Some of 

 the youth attended as waiters to the company. 

 The greatest order and regularity was observed 

 during the feast. Each one considered himself 

 obliged to eat all that was sent him ; but at such 

 feasts it is seldom more than they can devour in 

 a few minutes. As soon as the feast was ended, 

 fire was brought, and the whole commenced 

 smoking, which was continued for about an hour. 

 The smoking then ceased and the dance com- 

 menced. Their music consisted of beating on 

 buffaloe skins, shaking dried prarow and marten 

 skins* tied up, in a form to contain small stones, 

 and beating on a kind of drum, made by stretch- 

 ing a skin, dressed like parchment, over the end 

 of a hollow log about four feet long, which is 

 joined with the singing of the company. Their 

 songs are a rehearsal of the exploits of themselves 

 and their ancestors, and is accompanied with a 

 variety of antic gestures. In all their movements 

 they keep exact time; dance in a circle around a 



