The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-09-23
the ASu0aL .eo,o;s.xs
Atceseneuy q Importance Ainons the
Geek Indlans-it. tj,e,. 81

g.
Acoseneny q Importance AinonR the
Creek Indians-Ita usc,,
ElptIah Tsriioy O.. i. o. TinesDsmastatl
The Cfeek indians Of the Hickory
Ground town OF neighbothood held their
annual fboos- -ke.tanp lastiWeek This
Is commonly called .sbusk, 2 and & the
occasion when all Of tho Indians Of q
certain section, under o local chief,
meet for The purpose of taxing their
Of black drink. The ground
is selected BY tho town chief near some
running stream. and q brush shed 4
constructed II HE form Of q cross, one
end % the north, one 70 The south
and the otheH to the eastand west.
The chief occupies the west end
and his subordinate officers the ends 10
the other polnlA Of the compass. After
eyerythingis gol in readiness, a com.
nittee Is appolnted to 70 out and bring
IN four round logs about four feet long,
which arsplacod With ceremony IN the
center Of tho arbot, the outer ends
pointing totho four cardinal points, but
oil touching logtiheE IN the center.
Fire is produced by friction, which Is
then placed in the center OF this cross.
II Is estimated with q slow fire these
logs willlast four days, the usual length
otthebusk After the black drink is
made the women, who are fasting,
dance around the fire, and from Ia
O'Clock 10 the middle OF the afternoon
take draughts Of the medicine, which b
powerful emetic, and also wash their
faces, hands. and feet with It. When
the women all got through the men Join
them, and they dance all night, the
women wearing terrapin shells hlled
with gravel, and tied together with
buckskin thongs, fastened to their legs
or ankles, which rattle and aid in keep.
ing time.in the dance. They sing their
peculiar songs, interSpersed with yelis
by the men, and II Is wonderful the
amount Of labor that Is endured during
these etet iSes. The women are taste.
fully and brilliantly dressed and decor.
ated with their finest clothes, ribbons,
and ornaments Tho next day the men
go through pretty much the same cere.
monies, aud take their medicine.
After this, on the third day, the
women bring the children, who are
made 10 drink They are washed in II,
scratched on the arms and legs with 4
scratcher Of many points, 80 the medi-
cine can the sooner penetrate These
scratohers are usually made Of garhsh
teeth, or in the absence Of those they
are made by sticking numerous pins
through a feather. After each class get
through with their duties Of drinking
and dancing they arc permitted 70 70 to
the stream and battle, whom they can
return 10 the camp and partAke otifood
and prepare for the dance at night.
During oil these ceremonies tho women
and children occupy one camp and the
men another.
On the fourth day the ashes are all
cleaned up, and each participant
sprinkles some. Of It on himself. The
fire Is renewed, and then begins the
final dance. The men all come in with
sticks, in the ends Of which are in.
serted four white feathers, With these
they keep time in oil sorts o. motion
during the dance. all this Is the cere.
mony that has TO DO gone through with
before any OF the members are allowed
70 eat green corn, and Is properly
speaking, the "green.corn dance.
In some towns Of old standing these
ceremonies are kept up eight days with
formally and striCtneSS. In Too%.
abatcha town there now exist
brass plates that have been handed
down from ono generation to
another, probablyfor hundreds Of years.
They are now in possession Of old apt
Tookabatcha Ha:o, one Of the finest
looking old Indians Ilhare yet met, and
Is said to be one OF the best men
throughout the territory. These meet.
ingS are not altogether for the purpose
Of taking medicine, but are productive
Of much good. Tho chiefs Of, these clans
take occasion to call together all the
young men and explain to them the
laws Of the country, and exhort them
to be oBedient TO these laws to main.
tain friendship among themselves and
neighborS, and all return thanks for the
blessings Of the past year, and ask the
Great Spirit to continue them for the
year to come. "" v