These invocations may be compared with what the prophet Habakkuk tells us about the Chaldeans, in the first chapter of his prophecy. In his prayer to God, he says, “These plunderers pull out all men with the hook, draw them in with their casting net, and gather them with their draw net, and rejoice and are glad in it. Therefore they make offerings to their casting net, and burn incense to their draw net, for through them their catch is rich and their food dainty.”[38]
FASTING.
§ 41. This topic naturally precedes that of visions or dreams about mystery, animals, and objects. Two Crows and Joseph La Flèche heard the following spoken of as an ancient custom. It was told them in their youth by some of the old men of that day, who had received it from their elders as having been practiced by the tribe for unnumbered generations. When old men had sons, sisters’ sons, or grandsons, who approached manhood, they used to direct those youths to abstain from food and drink, and to put clay on their faces, saying:
| “Qaⁿxa´ʇa | xage´ | maⁿȼiⁿ´i-gă. | Aⁿ´ba | ȼa´bȼiⁿ | du´ba | jaⁿ´ | ʞĭ, | waȼáta-bajíi-gă, | kĭ ní | ȼataⁿ´-bajíi-gă. | Ȼiqu´bajĭ |
| Far away | crying | walk ye. | Day | three | four | sleep | if, | do not eat (pl.), | and water | do not drink (pl.) | You are not “qube” |
| cte´ctĕwaⁿ, | caⁿ´ | Wakan´da | aká | uȼi´ʞaⁿ | tá aka. | Wa´ȼawaqpáni | maⁿɔniⁿ´i | ʞĭ, | waɔnáhaⁿ-de | ȼaxáxage | ʞĭ, | |
| even if, | still | Wakanda | the sub. | he will | aid you. | You act as if poor | you walk | if, | you pray | when | you cry | if |
| uȼi´ʞaⁿ ta´ aka,” |
| he will aid you. |
i. e., “Walk ye in remote places, crying to Wakanda. Neither eat nor drink for three or four days. Even though you do not acquire [personal mysterious power], Wakanda will aid you. If you act as poor men, and pray as you cry, he will help you.”
When their throats became dry, their voices gave out. When they had completed their fasts, they went home, being exceedingly emaciated. At that time they could not swallow solid food, so they were obliged to subsist on mush mixed with much water, till by degrees they became able to eat what they pleased. Many thought that this fasting enabled them to have superhuman communications with Wakanda.
Fasting was practiced at other times, but always in order to obtain superhuman assistance or to acquire a transfer of superhuman power. A Ponka war captain exhorted each of his followers thus: “Ahaú! Wackaⁿ´ egañ´-gă! Qu´bekiȼa´-bi ȼiⁿhe´!” i.e., “Oho! Do exert yourself! Be sure to make yourself the possessor of superhuman power by the aid of the animal that you have seen in your vision after fasting!”[39] Members of a small war party had to fast four days, counting from the time that they started on the warpath.[40] Before the large war party was formed to avenge the wrongs of Wabaskaha, the four prospective captains fasted.[41] When the Kansa captain fasted, he could not visit his family, but a small fasting lodge was erected for him at some distance from his own house.[42]