Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-07-30
Indian Festival and Feast

U c. Jones, in his entertaining /" History of
the Juniata Valley" gives the subjoined account
of an unique festival and feast, as re lated bv an
old trader, who had the honor of being a guest
of the Red Men on the interesting occasion
Some time in the Spring of 1850, the old
trader, whose name has escaped our memory,
received pressing invitation to visit Standing
Stone day or two before the first full moon in
September, as grand feast was to come off at
that time, which would be attended by six or
eight tribes. The trader, foreseeing the chance
OF brisk barter, brought large quantity of
goods from Lancaster, on pack-horses and ar
rived day or two before the sports commenced
lie found preparations made for a large compa-
ny and he accordingly pitched his tent on the
hill, while the wgwams of the Indians stood
upon the fiat near the mouth of Stone Creek
On the day on which the feast was to commence
the trader was awakeded at an early hour by the
loud whoops of the savages already living to
take part in the ceremonies. The day wore on,
and when the sun had reached his zenith, a
thousand warriors and their squaws, in their
best attire, had gathered upon the green sward.
Al the hour ,f twelve O'clock precisely. chief
whom the trader supposed 10 be at least huu-
dred years of age, arose from the ground,
while all the rest retained a cross legged sitting
posture The trader understood enough of The
Delaware language 10 ascertain that the feast
was one which took place every hundred moons
TO render hanks to the ManHou for preserving
them great people. After congratulating the
different tribes and welcoming them to this
friendly re unlon, an immense pipe was brought
inio the arena, which passed from mouth to
mouth, each man taking but slight Whit OF
course, the women formed the outer circle, Nd
/ --tA-- =, Nrvss.- prod sysaings tr
merely looking on. Two halt-grown lads f3l
lowed the big pipe with small bag of Kinni
h'n'que, and ever and anon replenishrd thu
bow This consumed an hour, during which
time there was profound silence The oI,
sachem then arose ard said the balance of III,
day would be given up to festivities The as
semblaee broke up into small parties, and al
each tribe had their medcine,men. musicians
AMI prophets along, The m-ium of the drum
and the wild chant was soon head, and the dus
ky SOUS and daughters of the forest went int,
the dance Of the gay and ght-hearted with
thousand times more vgor Than do the be4u,
ard elles of the modern ball room.
MANY of the Indians called upon the trade
for lum; but notwithstanding that he had fv
kegs of rum, and the most friendly feelings ex
listed between himself and the tribes, he refuse
to deal. in fact he did not consider it safe. -
The festivities of the day and part of the nigh
were kept up with dancing, singing, and how
ing. The next day religious exercises follow ed
and on the third a very solemn and impressiv
ceremony was to take place, to wind up tn
meeting, at which The trader was urgently invi
ed TO be present and in an ev moment he CAV
his consent TO do 50. Accordingly, he sold a
OF his barrels or kegs of rum, packed the ba
ance of his goods and started his pack -hors
train to Aughwick, himself and horse alone II
naming behind.
AT the appointed time in the evening for ii
feast. a large fire of dry wood was built, an
the savaees commenced dancing around it, how
ing, and throwing their bodies into the mos, vi
lent contorlons, first stepping three or four fe
forward, with the body inclined in the same d
recion; then, throwing the body backwar,
rpving on and keeping time with the drum al
the chant. As one party got tired or prohabl
roasted out, they danced away and another s.
look their places When ths FIRE burnt Il
6ercest, and the urid flame lii the surround il
his. wild chnrus was sung in unison tn
3 might have been heard for miles. This, Il
trader was told, was the loud hymn of adori
lion. He did not dispute the assertion. I'll
, rum he had sold the Indians began TO work, al
the old fox was enjoying some funny scenes n
/. set down in the bills Of the day. Occasional
chief, under the influence of the .freDote
p. would make mis- step and tramp into the bur
lug codiS. AZ see hlh quitting III hurry, u
iorled the trader an infinite deal of amusemer
AT length the pile was reduced to Goals, VIII
an Indian brought from wigwam live do
: and threw him upon the burning embers. A
: other and another followed, until ten dogs we
thrown upou the fire. OF course the dogs tri
;, to escape, but the Indians hemmed them in
completely that this was matter OF lmposslb
ity They set up dreadful howl: but the
: dams drowned tho canine wall by another sta
of the unearlhly chorus. The odor Of the roa'
ling dogs did not agree" with The trade
stomach, and bidding adieu to his immedia
acquaintance, he expressed determination
leave for Au2hw ick This his friends won
!. not permit, insisting most yehemently that
sbou Id see the end Of it, AS he had seen co
siderable fun, he thought he might as well wa
and see 1t out as the carcasses oi the dogs won
y soon be consumed. In this, however, he w
mistaken, for the medicine men drew them fro
" the fire, placed them upon woodeas platters, al
4 cut them into pieces. Five or six of them ca
rjcd them around among the auditory, ofierir
each chief piece, who not only took the dai