Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/72

 6o On the defcent of the American Indians from the

other way, than by faying, Abarattle-la pbeena cbemanumbole* " I fhall firmly (hake hands with your difcourfe, or fpeech."

When two nations of Indians are making, or renewing peace with each other, the ceremonies and folemnities they ufe, carry the face of great an tiquity, and are very ftriking to a curious fpedator, which I fhall here relate, fo far as it fuits the prefent fubjed. When ftrangers of note arrive near the place, where they defign to contract new friendihip, or confirm their old amity, they fend a meffenger a- head, to inform the people of their amicable intention. He carries a fwan's wing in his hand, painted all over with llreaks of white clay, as an expreffive emblem of their embafTy. The next day, when they have made their friendly parade, with firing off their guns and whoop^ ing, and have entered the beloved fquare, their chieftain, who is a-head of the reft, is met by one of the old beloved men, or magi, of the place. He and the vifitant approach one another, in a bowing pofture. The former lays, To y Ijh la cbu Anggona? "Are you come a friend in the name of God ?" Or, " Is God with you, friend ?" for, To is a religious contraction of Tobewab, -Ijh " the man," La a note of joy, Cbu a query, and Anggona me, I am, come, a friend, in God's name." The reply confirms the mean ing of the queflionary falute, in the manner before explained. The magus then grafps the flranger with both his hands, around the wrift of his right hand, : which holds fome green branches again, about the elbow then around the. arm, clofe to his fhoulder, as a near approach to the heart. Then his immediately waving the eagles tails over .the head of the ftranger, is the ftrongeft pledge of good faith. Similar .to the Hebrew word, Pbak with the Indians, fignifies " to wave," and likewife. to lhakej for they fay, Skooba Pbale, "-(baking, one's head." How far the Indian oath, or manner of covenanting, agrees with that of the Hebrews^ on the like folemn occafion, I refer to the intelligent reader. Their method of embracing each other, feems to refemble alfo that cuftom of the Hebrews, when a ftranger became furety for another, by giving him his wrift ; to which Solomon alludes, " Ifthou haft ilricken hand with the ftranger, &c." Their common method of greeting each other, is analogous with the above i the hoft only fays, Ijh-la Cbu? and the gueft replies, Arabre-O^ " I am come in the name of O E A," or Yo HE WAH.
 * a friend." The other replies, Tab Arabre-O, Anggona^ " God is with

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