The principal chief, Ongpatonga, then rises, and extending his expanded hand towards each in succession,[206] gives thanks to them individually by name, for the honour {184} of their company, and requests their patient attention to what he is about to say. He then proceeds somewhat in the following manner. "Friends and relatives: we are assembled here for the purpose of consulting respecting the proper course to pursue in our next hunting excursion, or whether the quantity of provisions at present on hand, will justify a determination to remain here to weed our maize. If it be decided to depart immediately, the subject to be then taken into view will be the direction, extent, and object of our route; whether it would be proper to ascend Running-Water creek, (Ne-bra-ra, or Spreading water), or the Platte, (Ne-bres-kuh, or Flat water), or hunt the bison between the sources of those two streams; or whether we shall proceed farther, towards the black hills of the south-west, in pursuit of wild horses, &c."
Having thus disclosed the business of the council, he is frequently succeeded by an old chief, who thanks him for his attention to their wants, and advises the assembly to pay great attention to what he has said, as he is a man of[pg292] truth, of knowledge, and of bravery; he further assures them, that they have ample cause to return thanks to the great Wahconda or Master of life, for having sent such a man amongst them.
The assembly then take the subject into consideration, and after much conversation, determine upon a route, which Ongpatonga proposed in his speech. This chief, previous to the council, is careful to ascertain the opinions and wishes of his people, and he speaks accordingly.
He sometimes, however, meets with opposition from persons who propose other hunting grounds, but their discourses are filled with compliments to his superior knowledge and good sense.
The proceedings of the council are uniformly conducted with the most perfect good order and decorum.
{185} Each speaker carefully abstains from militating against the sensibility of any of his hearers, and uncourteous expressions towards each other on these occasions, are never heard. Generally at each pause of the speaker, the audience testify their approbation aloud, by the interjection heh; and as they believe that he has a just right to his own opinions, however absurd they may appear to be, and opposite to their own, the expression of them excites no reprehension, and if they cannot approve, they do not condemn, unless urged by necessity.
During the council, the criers remain seated near the fire listening to the proceedings, and at the same time attending to the culinary apparatus, as neither the squaws nor the children are admitted.
When the food is sufficiently cooked, the criers remove the kettles from the fire, and, at the proper time, one of them takes up a portion of the soup in a spoon, and after[pg293] presenting it towards each of the cardinal points with one hand, whilst the other is elevated, and the palm extended, he casts it into the ashes of the fire; a small piece of the choice part of the meat is also sacrificed to the great Wahconda with the same formality, and is doubtless intended as an impetratory oblation.
They then serve out the food to the guests, placing the best portions of it before the chiefs. Each individual on the reception of his portion, returns his thanks to the host in such respectful expressions as become his relative consequence, as How-je-ne-ha—How-we-sun-guh—How-na-ga-ha, &c.; thank you father—thank you younger brother—thank you uncle, &c., after which they eat in silence. The criers help themselves out of the kettles, but are careful to leave a portion in those that are borrowed, to compensate for their use.
The feast terminated, the ceremony of smoking succeeds, after which, the business and enjoyments of the council being concluded, the guests rise up in {186} succession, and returning thanks to the host, pass out of the lodge in an orderly manner, first the warriors and afterwards the chiefs.