136 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL. 43

They spread on the ground a large skin, on which they cause him to sit. One
of them places himself behind him, and, putting his hands on the chief's
shoulders, he agitates all his body, while the others, seated in a circle on the
ground, chant the history of their distinguished deeds. After this ceremony,
which is repeated night and morning for four days, the great chief returns to
his cabin. When he pays his last visit to the ambassadors these place a stake
at his feet about which they seat themselves. The warriors of the nation hav
ing arranged themselves in all their finery, dance around, striking the stake,
and in turn recounting their great exploits. Then follows the giving of presents
to the ambassadors, which consist of kettles, hatchets, guns, powder, balls, etc.
 The day following this last ceremony it is permitted to the ambassadors to
walk through the whole village, which before they were not able to do. Then
every evening they give them spectacles-that is to say, the men and women in
their most beautiful dresses assemble at the public place and dance until the
night is far advanced. When they are ready to return home the masters of
the ceremonies furnish them with the provisions necessary for the journey."

 Du Pratz's description of the calumet has been given in speaking
of war customs." Of the peace-making ceremonies themselves he
says:

 When the natives are tired of making war, or rather when they are unable, on
account of their small number, to resist their enemies, they address themselves
to a neutral nation friendly to those with whom they desire to make peace.
They go with the calumet to this nation through countries which are not fre-
quented. They bring with them some slaves which they have taken during
this war. They give these slaves to this people with presents in order to lpr-
chase peace by means of these messengers, to whom it is accorded, because
ordinarily these mediators take the part of the suppliants, bring them to their
own homes and adopt them as I have said before, in order to make only one
nation under a single n:ame.' If, on the contrary, the enemies accept the peace
which is proposed to them through the neutral nation, the suppliants go to
carry the peace calumet and presents [to them]. In this manner peace is
concluded.4

 From IDumont:
 There are few persons who have not heard of the famous calumet of
peace. It was formerly the symbol of friendship among the savages, and with
this passport one might travel in safety among all these barbarous nations.
But I would not advise one to trust it now. The sad experience which our
French people have had with it, as I will tell presently, proves that the savages
often abuse this sign of peace to execute the blackest and most barbarous
designs. However, because this calumet is yet very celebrated among them, I
am going to give a description of it, as well as of the ceremonies which accom-
pany it.
 The calumet is a wooden tube pierced throughout its entire length, which is
of about 4 feet, painted ordinarily in different colors, and ornamented at inter-
vals with porcupine quills usually dyed red or yellow. Froln the middle of

 a Le Petit in Jes. Rel., LXVIII, 156-16:3.
 See p. 128.
 When a nation is enfeebled by war it rtires to another which desires to adopt it.
Then if one pursues the nation that has retired to the other it Is to declare war on that
that has adopted the first."-D) PRATZ, IIist. de La Louisiane, ill, 402.
 lbid., II, 436-437; see also p. 128.