The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-10-30

along the Hackensack river Having satisfied
their appetites the scouts turned in" for the night
Scout Coyte on awakening opposite his face
a small, thick bundle, a COIL Very quickly he
realized that it a venomous snake of the
copperhead variety, and instinctiyely he thrust
his upward to protect his head and neck He
had not done too quickly, however, for the
reptile had sprung forward, burying its fangs
deep into the protecting arm, withdrawing as
quickly and wriggling off into the shrubbery along
the river bank.
Young Coyte awakened his companion and they
imprOvised tOurniGuet from his handkerchief and
a small stick. Realizing that the wound was not
flowing freely enough he cut into and around the
bite until it bled prOfusely. Emptying the contents
of a cartridge into the break in his flesh, he ap-
piled flame to the powder and withStOOd the tenn
porary pain. It was later determined that he had
successfully offset the possibility of fatal result
through his commendable presence of mind He
had burnt all trace of poison completely from his
and in a few days again back at his Job,
none the worse for his experience
1t is a principle of the boy scout movement to
avoid secret ceremonies and limitations. High
tensioned limitations dangerous to boys in the
adolescent stage The virtues of the ceremony
carried out, however, by the scout council for
Delaware and Montgomery counties, Pennsylvania,
are so obvious it's thrills real and yet reason
able, that it readily be used.
Their camp site was occupied many years
ago by the Unami tribe of Indians. This tribe
had an initiation ceremony for its young men
which has been preserved up to the present day.
Scouts VINO nave taken camp nO0OrS by doing
specified amount of work in scOuteraft given
this initiation under the direction of R. Harring-
ton and Alonson Skinner Of the Institute of Amer
lean Indians of New York. The ceremonies are
performed by Amos Overload, Sioux Indian con-
nected with the institute. They are described as
follows:
Ceremonies of Initiation.
The ceremonies should begin before dusk and
with the fasting, ETC., should last about % hours.
The first thing before beginning the ceremony is
to make an Indian "Sweat house" for publication
then to build large fire some distance east of its
entrance and to heat II stones varying from the
size of a cOconut to that of mans skull. Two
forked green sticks should be provided TO roll the
hot stones into the sweat house; also two large
earthen jars of water should be placed at the
back of the sweat house opposite the door to-
gether with about peck of cedar twigs about
six inches long. When all is ready the chief
wearing only a breechcloth, stands at the door of
the sweat house and addresses the candidates
lined up stark naked before him. He makes
speech to them, something like this:
MY sons. about to take you little way
along the Unami trail; to show you the ways Of
the Lenape grandfathers. But first we must
purify ourselves outwardly by the sweat bath,
inwardly by the black drink (made of herbs), for
such is the custom that has been handed down to
u.s. When one has been purified In these WAYS the
powers Of nature will look upon him with favor
and the winds will whisper sweet words in his
ears-an will help him to endure the trials that
must be his tomorrow"
He then goes into the sweat house and seats
himself In the back, opposite the door; the candi-
dates follow and seat themselves around the
sides. The Oshkosh roll the II hot stones iAto