154} JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



prepared by the chief's wife, and consisted 

 of marrow pemmican, berries boiled with fat, 

 and various other delicacies that had been 

 preserved for the occasion. 



The preparations being completed, and a 

 slave, whom the chief had taken in war, 

 having warned the guests to the feast by 

 the mysterious word peenasheway, they 

 came, dressed out in their best garments, 

 and ranged themselves according to their 

 seniority, the elders seating themselves next 

 the chief at the upper end, and the young 

 men near the door. 



The chief commenced by addressing his 

 deities in an appropriate speech, in which 

 he told them that he had hastened as soon 

 as summer was indicated by the croaking 

 of the frogs to solicit their favour for him- 

 self and his young men, and hoped that 

 they would send him a pleasant and plenti- 

 ful season. His oration was concluded by 

 an invocation to all the animals in the land, 

 and a signal being given to the slave at the 

 door, he invited them severally by their 

 names to come and partake of the feast. 



