Page:A Topographical Description of the State of Ohio, Indiana Territory, and Louisiana.djvu/186

176 feathers of the eagle, and other large birds. Bandayes full of brooches were tied round their foreheads. Their clothes neatly worked with porcupine quills and beads, and large wampum belts around the middle. Their moccasons and leggins 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 partake 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 families, 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 immemorial, 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 intention, 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