first fruits
of the earth," is described by Col. Johnston in vol. i. p. 286, of the
Archaelogia Americana. It does not differ materially from their common
feasts. The principal ceremonies are described in the text.

The following is a description of the Powwah or black dance, by which
the devil was supposed to be raised. "Lord's Day, September 1st.--I
spent the day with the Indians on the island. As soon as they were up
in the morning, I attempted to instruct them, and laboured to get them
together, but quickly found they had something else to do; for they
gathered together all their powwows, and set about a dozen of them to
playing their tricks, and acting their frantic postures, in order to
find out why they were so sickly, numbers of them being at that time
disordered with a fever and bloody flux. In this they were engaged for
several hours, making all the wild, distracted motions imaginable,
sometimes singing, sometimes howling, sometimes extending their hands
to the utmost stretch, spreading all their fingers, and seemed to push
with them, as if they designed to fright something away, or at least
keep it at arm's end; sometimes sitting flat on the earth, then bowing
down their faces to the ground, wringing their sides, as if in pain
and anguish, twisting their faces, turning up their eyes, grunting or
puffing. These monstrous actions seemed to have something in them
peculiarly fitted to raise the devil, if he could be raised by any
thing odd and frightful. Some of them were much more fervent in the
business than the others, and seemed to chant, peep, and mutter, with
a great degree of warmth and vigour."--_Brainerd's Diary, E_.

GITTSHEE GAUZINEE.

Before the Bigknives or their fathers came to the land of the red men,
the Indians generally, and the Chippewas in particular, were in the
habit of burying many articles with the dead--if a warrior died, his
weapons of war, his spear, his war-club, and his most valued trophies;
if a hunter, his instruments of hunting were committed to the earth
with him. His beaver-trap, his clothes, even a piece of roasted meat,
and a piece of bread, were deposited with him in his grave. The scalps
he had taken from the heads of his enemies, the skins of the bears
slain by him in encounter foot to foot, were laid by his side, and,
when the earth was thrown upon his breast, the utensils of less moment
were laid upon his grave. If it was a woman who demanded the rites of
burial