A General History of the Fur Trade, 73 



pare a proper place of reception for the numerous company* 

 Here the guests discourse upon public topics, repeat the he- 

 roic deeds of their forefathers, and excite the rising genera- 

 tion to follow their example. The entertainments on these 

 occasions consist of dried meats, as it would not be practica- 

 ble to dress a sufficient quantity of fresh meat for such a 

 large assembly ; though the women and children are exclu- 

 ded. 



Similar feasts used to be made at funerals, and annually, 

 in honour of the dead ; but they have been, for some time, 

 growing into disuse, and I never had an opportunity of be- 

 ing present at any of them. 



The women, who are forbidden to enter the places sacred 

 to these festivals, dance and sing around them, and some- 

 times beat time to the music within them ; which forms an 

 agreeable contrast. 



With respect to their divisions of time, they compute the 

 length of their journies by the number of nights passed in 

 performing them ; and they divide the year by the succes- 

 sion of moons. In this calculation, however, they are not 

 altogether correct, as they cannot account for the odd days. 



The names which they give to the moons, are descriptive 

 of the several seasons. 



May - - Atheiky o Pishim - - Frog-Moon. 



June - - Oppinu o Pishim - - The Moon in which birds 



begin to lay their eggs. 

 July - - Aupascen o Pishim - - The Moon when birds cast 



their feathers. 



August - Aupahou o Pishim - - The Moon when the young 



birds begin to fly. 



September Waskiscon o Pishim - - TheMoon when the moose- 

 deer cast their horns. 



October - Wisac o Pishim - - The Rutting-Moon. 



November Thithigon Pewai o Pishim Hoar-Frost-Moon. 

 Kuskatinayoui o Pishim Ice-Moon. 



December Pawatchicananasis o Pishim Whirlwind-Moon. 



January - Kushapawasticanum o Pishim Extreme cold Moon. 



February - Kichi Pishim - - - Big Moon; some say, Old 



Moon. 



March - Mickysue Pishim - - Eagle Moon. 

 April - Niscaw o Pishim - - Goose-Moon. 



These people know the medicinal virtues of many herbs 

 and simples, and apply the roots of plants and the bark of 

 trees with success. But the conjurers, who monopolize the 

 medical science, find it necessary to blend mystery with 



