Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/179

 Their fokwnities after vittory. 167

��they were purifying themfelves, and finging the fong of fafety, and to the goodnefs and power of the divine efience. When the time of their purification and thankfgiving expired, the men and women went and bathecb themfelves feparately, returned in the fame manner, and anointed again, according to their ufual cuftom.

They joined foon after in a folemn proceflion, to fix the fcalps on the tops of the houfes of their relations who had been killed without re venge of blood. The war chieftain went firil his religious attendant fol lowed him ; the warriors next, according to their rifing merit \ and the fongftrefles brought up the rear. In this order they went round the leader's winter- houfe from the eafl to the nx)rth, the men ftriking up the death whoop, and finging the death fong ; and then YO, HE HE, WAH WAH, as defcribed ; the women alib warbling HA HA, HA HE, fo that one might have faid according to the facred text, " great was the company of the wo men who /ung the fong of triumph." * Then they fixed on the top of the houfe, a twig of the pine they had brought with them, with a fmall piece of one of the fcalps fattened to it : and this order they obferved from houfe to houfe, till in their opinion they had appeafed the ghofts of their dead. They went and bathed again ; and thus ended their purifica tion, and triumphal folemnity only the leader and his religious waiter kept apart three days longer, purifying themfelves. I afterward afked> the reafon of this they replied they were Ifljtohoollo. This feems to be fo plain a copy of the old Jewim cuftoms, I am fatisfied the reader will eafily difcern the analogy, without any farther obiervations.

I cannot however conclude this argument,, without a few remarks concern ing the Indian methods of making peace, and of renewing their old friendihip* They firft fmoke out of the friend-pipe, and eat together, then they drink of the Cuffeena, ufmg fuch invocations as have been mentioned, and proceed. to wave their large fans of eagles-tails, concluding with a dance. The perfons vifited, appoint half a dozen of their moft acYwe and expert young. warriors to perform this religious duty, who have had their own temples adorned with the fwan-feather-cap. They paint their bodiss with white- clay, and cover their heads with fwan-down, then approaching the chief

leans, fing a regular anthem and dirge, in the dufi^ of the eveniog, while their kmfmen were gone to war againft the Mufkobge.
 * Laft year I heard the Choktah women, in tbofe towns which lie next to N\v Or

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