Voyages from Montreal Through the Continent of North America to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans Volume I Part 5

The chief, when he proposes to make a feast, sends quills, or small pieces of wood, as tokens of invitation to such as he wishes to partake of it. At the appointed time the guests arrive, each bringing a dish or platter, and a knife, and take their seats on each side of the chief, who receives them sitting, according to their respective ages. The pipe is then lighted, and he makes an equal division of every thing that is provided. While the company are enjoying their meal, the chief sings, and accompanies his song with the tambourine, or s.h.i.+s.h.i.+quoi, or rattle.

The guest who has first eaten his portion is considered as the most distinguished person. If there should be any who cannot finish the whole of their mess, they endeavour to prevail on some of their friends to eat it for them, who are rewarded for their a.s.sistance with ammunition and tobacco. It is proper also to remark, that at these feasts a small quant.i.ty of meat or drink is sacrificed, before they begin to eat, by throwing it into the fire, or on the earth.

These feasts differ according to circ.u.mstances; sometimes each man's allowance is no more than he can despatch in a couple of hours. At other times the quant.i.ty is sufficient to supply each of them with food for a week, though it must be devoured in a day. On these occasions it is very difficult to procure subst.i.tutes, and the whole must be eaten whatever time it may require. At some of these entertainments there is a more rational arrangement, when the guests are allowed to carry home with them the superfluous part of their portions. Great care is always taken that the bones may be burned, as it would be considered a profanation were the dogs permitted to touch them.

The public feasts are conducted in the same manner, but with some additional ceremony. Several chiefs officiate at them, and procure the necessary provisions, as well as prepare a proper place of reception for the numerous company. Here the guests discourse upon public topics, repeat the heroic deeds of their forefathers, and excite the rising generation to follow their example. The entertainments on these occasions consist of dried meats, as it would not be practicable to dress a sufficient quant.i.ty of fresh meat for such a large a.s.sembly; though the women and children are excluded.

Similar feasts used to be made at funerals, and annually, in honour of the dead; but they have been, for some time, growing into disuse, and I never had an opportunity of being present at any of them.

The women, who are forbidden to enter the places sacred to these festivals, dance and sing around them, and sometimes beat time to the music within them; which forms an agreeable contrast.

With respect to their divisions of time, they compute the length of their journeys by the number of nights pa.s.sed in performing them; and they divide the year by the succession of moons. In this calculation, however, they are not altogether correct, as they cannot account for the odd days.

The names which they give to the names are descriptive of the several seasons.

May Atheiky o Pis.h.i.+m Frog Moon.

June Oppinu o Pis.h.i.+m The Moon in which birds begin to lay their eggs.

July Aupascen o Pis.h.i.+m The Moon when birds cast their feathers.

August Aupahou o Pis.h.i.+m The Moon when the young birds begin to fly.

September Waskiscon o Pis.h.i.+m The Moon when the moose deer cast their horns.

October Wisac o Pis.h.i.+m The Rutting-Moon.

November Thithigon Pewai h.o.a.r-Frost Moon.

o Pis.h.i.+m Kuskatinsyoui Ice Moon.

o Pis.h.i.+m December Pawatchicananasis Whirlwind-Moon.

o Pis.h.i.+m January Kushapawasticanum Extreme cold o Pis.h.i.+m Moon.

February Kichi Pis.h.i.+m Big Moon; some say, Old Moon.

March Mickysue Pis.h.i.+m Eagle Moon.

April Niscaw o Pis.h.i.+m Goose Moon.

These people know the medicinal virtues of many herbs and simples, and apply the roots of plants and the bark of trees with success. But the conjurers, who monopolize the medical science, find it necessary to blend mystery with their art, and do not communicate their knowledge.

Their materia medica they administer in the form of purges and clysters, but the remedies and surgical operations are supposed to derive much of their effect from magic and incantation. When a blister rises in the foot from the frost, the chafing of the shoe, etc., they immediately open it, and apply the heated blade of a knife to the part, which, painful as it may be, is found to be efficacious. A sharp flint serves them as a lancet for letting blood, as well as for scarification in bruises and swellings. For sprains, the dung of an animal just killed is considered as the best remedy. They are very fond of European medicines, though they are ignorant of their application: and those articles form an inconsiderable part of the European traffic with them.

Among their various superst.i.tions, they believe that the vapour which is seen to hover over moist and swampy places, is the spirit of some person lately dead. They also fancy another spirit which appears, in the shape of a man, upon the trees near the lodge of a person deceased, whose property has not been interred with them. He is represented as bearing a gun in his hand, and it is believed that he does not return to his rest, till the property that has been withheld from the grave has been sacrificed to it.

EXAMPLES OF THE KNISTENEAUX AND ALGONQUIN TONGUES.

Knisteneaux. Algonquin.

Good Spirit Ki jai Manitou Ki jai Manitou.

Evil Spirit Matchi manitou Matchi-manitou.

Man Ethini Inini Woman Esquois Ich-quois.

Male Nap hew Aquoisi.

Female Non-gense Non-gense.

Infant A' wash ish Abi nont-chen.

Head Us ti quoin O'chiti-goine.

Forehead Es caatick O catick.

Hair Wes ty-ky Winessis.

Eyes Es kis och Oskingick.

Nose Oskiwin O'chengewane.

Nostrils Oo t.i.th ee go mow Ni-de-ni-guom.

Mouth O toune O tonne.

My teeth Wip pit tah Nibit.

Tongue Otaithani O-tai-na-ni.

Beard Michitoune Omichitonn.

Brain With i tip Aba-e winikan.

Ears O tow ee gie O-ta wagane.

Neck O qui ow O'quoi gan.

Throat O koot tas gy Nigon dagane.

Arms O nisk O nic.

Fingers Che chee Ni nid gines.

Nails Wos kos sia Os-kenge.

Side O's spig gy Opikegan.

My back No pis quan Ni-pi quoini.

My belly Nattay Ni my sat.

Thighs O povam Obouame.

My knees No che quoin noh Ni gui tick.

Legs Nos Ni gatte.

Heart Ok thea Othai.

My father Noo ta wie Nossai.

My mother Nigah wei Nigah.

My boy (son) Negousis Nigouisses.

My girl (daughter) Netanis Nidaniss.

My brother, elder Ni stess Nis-a-yen.

My sister, elder Ne miss Nimisain.

My grandfather Ne moo shum Ni-mi-chomiss.

My grandmother N'o k.u.m No-co-miss.

My uncle N' o'ka miss Ni ni michomen.

My nephew Ne too sim Ne do jim.

My niece Ne too sim esquois Ni-do-jim equois My mother-in-law Nisigouse Ni sigousiss.

My brother-in-law Nistah Nitah.

My companion Ne wechi wagan Ni-wit-chi-wagan.

My husband Ni nap pem Ni na bem.

Blood Mith coo Misquoi.

Old Man s.h.i.+ nap Aki win se.

I am angry Ne kis si wash en Nis Katissiwine.

I fear Ne goos tow Nisest guse.

Joy Ne hea tha tom Mamond gikisi.

Hearing Pethom Oda wagan.

Track Mis conna Pemi ka wois.

Chief, great ruler Haukimah Kitchi onodis.

Thief Kismouthesk Ke moutiske.

Excrement Meyee Moui.

Buffalo Moustouche Pichike.

Ferret Sigous s.h.i.+ngouss.

Polecat s.h.i.+cak s.h.i.+ kak.

Elk Moustouche Michai woi.

Rein deer Attick Atick.

Fellow deer Attick Wa wasquesh.

Beaver Amisk Amic.

Wolverine Qui qua katch Quin quoagki.