Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1817-09-23

Ma. HALk--As he ceremonies strnkling n
el~esioa "a lxpsxs CnIrr. within ssss
oommenw. ssh. may be gratifying 70 the ur
osi'y ~ mary 81 YOUR readers. transmit short
sceoans Of particulars Cor pubI'c.sion.
AN EYEWITNESS.
Pcnobscof IndiQu Chief
Al Old zovn, an Indian village on an
Island IN Penobseoi river, twelve miles q
5ose Bangor, In the District OF Maine, on
Ihursdsy the 18th of September, A. ID.
1915 the Penohscos tribe OF Indians made
and csrcmoniously indicted into Office, .
Chez, goverDour or king. Such has been
the immemoriaI usage Of this tribe and the
others in this region, that no CHEF can be
made saIess there he AZ lrs.s three tribes
presens.--Hence fifteen or twenty of the
chiefs and principal indians, rom The 81.
Johns tribe, and as many from the Passs
maquoddy tribe, arrived there q shost time
previously. 10 assist In the cerefnonisls. In
the forenoon Of tho inauguration or eorona.
lion day, the males OF pcnobscos tribe, con
sened IN the gosernour's wiewam, on this
occasion called camp, and seated them
selves on platform, according to rank and
seniority John .diueon, and John Aeffure,
the select candidates for the frs, and second
Offices or chiefships, dressed in scarlet
broadcloih, and fsnciiuIly decorated, being
sealed at the head. In front OF them on
piece OF bluc cloth, yard square, ley four
curious medals OF silver, three of which
were respectively circular md as large as
dollar the fourth was larger, and in the
form OF new moon, and all of them were
cnblema.ica'ly indrnted and inscribed with
ingenious devices, and bad elegant ribbands
TWO feet in length mixed 10 each Of them
and tied AZ the ends. Shortly alter noon,
one OF the Penobscot captains, who acted as
marshal OF the day, was despatched from
the camp with message to the gentlemen
spectators present, inviting them to the ap-
preaching induction But all females, ma
tive and English, we're peremp,orily pro.
hibised an audience. As soon as the guests
or spectators, had taken seats on the plat
forms, covered with blankets, being on the
same side ofthe camp with the Penobscoss,
and below them the ST Johns represen-
tation in true Indian file, entered the camp,
and took their seats on platforms, opposite
the Penobscots, according to rank. AT their
entrance, the Penobscots uncovered their
heads and laid by their hats and caps during
the ceremonies. One ofthe ST Johns men
soon after being seated, unfolded piece Of
cloth brought in by him, which enclosed
four strings Of wampum, and laid them on
playground near the medals--the ST. Johns
chiefthen arose took one Of the strings, ad-
dressed .Aiffeon IN speech of ten minutes
long in the Indian dialect and then laid the
wampum at his feet. Three others OF the
81 Johns principals, or captains, in rota-
ton did the same unto three of the Penob
scots according 10 grade This betokened
a renewal ofperpetual friendship,and mu
tual assurance ofunshaken confidence. The
ST. Johns chief, then took the medal which
lay opposite Aitteon, held it in his hands
and addressed him and his tribe in another
speech about as long as the former, in the
course OF which, he csme to n,omentary
pause, three or four times, at each of which
pauses, all the Penobscots uttered = deep
cultural" aye" .--probsbly thus signifying
their assent to have -1ifcon, Neptune and
two others named, the chiefs and FIRST cap.
tains Of the tribe. As soon az the St. Johns
chief had done speaking he advanced and
put about the neck of Aitteon, the ribbsnd
with the medal suspended, which was the
badge Of royalty-This constituted him
chief for life and was bis Inauguration into
office. Neptune and three others, were in
rotation and according to grade, addressed
Nee1-OLp-TowS VILLAGE.
This village is compact, and contains near
thirty wigwsms. ell standing On one street, and
most Of them 80 near together 10 leave only . |
narrow passage way between. Esch wigwsm |
Constructed according TO The old Gothic form |
With the gable end towards he street. is ore |
story high, twenty or thirty feet long md half as
wide. The Plates and the ridge pole are sup !
ported BY crotches thrust into the ground the |
covering 10 rough boards. bassened or thstched |
wish bark. None Of the wigwams have any |
glass windows end the entrance into them is /
through narrow aperture without any door OF
hinges. Within 10 board or plsnk platform on
each side. next the wall. foot or more above /
the ground, three or four feet in width be-
tween these platforms, the ground is BARE. Here
II Is that the fires built without any chin |
ney, hole oily being left open for the smoke /
shrDugA the roof -Four fsmilies frequently live /
% one Of these wigwams. ms st each corner.
fire SERVING two Of them. On the plz forms. they
set NOT unlike tailor On his shop board there
they sleep without sn5 other bedding than few