Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/410

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tial drums beat, their bloody colours are difplayed, and moft of the young people are dancing and rejoicing, for the prefent fuccefs of their na tion, and the fafe return and preferment of their friends and relations. Every expectant warrior on that joyful day wears deer-fkin maccafeenes, painted red, his body is anointed with bear's oil, a young foftened otter- (kin is tied on each leg, a long collar of fine fwan feathers hangs round his neck, and his face is painted with the various ftreaks of the rain-bow. Thus they appear, when two of the old magi come forth holding as many white wands and crowns, as there are warriors to be graduated : and in a (landing poflure, they alternately deliver a long oration, with great vehe mence of expreflion, chiefly commending their ftric~t obfervance of the law of purity, while they accompanied the beloved ark of war, which induced the fupreme chieftain to give them the victory, and they encourage the reft to continue to thirft after glory, in imitation of their brave anceftors, who died nobly in defence of their country. Ac the conclufion of their orations, one of the magi calls three times with a loud voice, one of the warriors by his new name, or war title, and holds up the white crown, and the fcep- ter, or wand. He then gladly anfwers, and runs whooping to, and around them, three times. One of the old beloved men puts the crown on his head, and the wand into his hand ; then he returns to his former place, whooping with joy. In like manner, they proceed with the reft 'of the gra duate warriors, to the end of their triumphal ceremony, concluding with this ftrong caution, " Remember what you are (fuch a warrior, mentioning his titles) according to the old beloved fpeech." This is equal to the bold virtuous leffons of the honeft Romans, and uncorrupted Greeks. The concluding caution of the magi to the warriors, points at the different duties of their honourable ftation, that they mould always afpire after mar tial glory, and prefer their own virtue, and the welfare of their country, more than life itfelf. The crown is wrought round with the long feathers of a fwan, at the lower end, where it furrounds his temples, and it is cu- rioufly weaved with a quantity of white down, to make it fit eafy, and ap pear more beautiful. To this part that wreathes his brows, the fkilful artift warps clofe together, a ringlet of the longed feathers of the fwan, a,nd turning them carefully upward, in an uniform pofition, he, in the ex- acteft manner, ties them together with deer's finews, fo as the bandage wilt not appear to the fharpeft eyes without handling it. It is a little open at the top, and about fifteen inches high. The crowns they ufc in confti- 5 tuting

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