Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

234 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 09
The first paragraph is addressed to the Old Wliite One, the Fire.
It is recited by tlic modiciuo Jiuui inside of the house of liis cHents,
wliilo standing in front of tiie licarth and looking down into the fire,
lie lias his back tuinod to tlic. luoinbers of the family, wjio stand in
lino with their ])acks tui'ncd toward liini, and facing the o])on door [of
the cabin]. Tlie niedicine nuui lias wdth liim an «ssista)it, who, at
the conclusion of the paragraph, ejaculates: "kH'i" (''Come on!"),
and precedes the family, who start in procession to go down toward
the stream, the medicine man following.
On arriving at the stream, the persons for whose benefit the ceremony
is intended stand in line, side by side, close to the water's edge,
with their eyes intently fixed upon the water rushing by, while the
priest stands behind them, with his hands outstretched and looking
straight ahead ; he then recites the paragraph addressed to the Long
Person, the River, followed by the seven othei's addressed to (a)Ge"-
*yaGu''G8, the Woman by excellence, the Sun, represented as the
owner of tables covered with "wliite" [or success-bringing food. The
recital ends wdth the assurance that tiie clients will not die, that they
will yet occupy their place at the hearth, that they will live to be old.]
During this part of the ceremony the attendant is closely watching
the appearance of tlie water in. front of the clients for the distance of
an "overhand " from the bank. Shoidd a stick, a fish, or any object
whatsoever come within tliis limit dining the recitation of the formula,
it is a sign that the death in the family Avas caused by witchcraft. By
certain signs in connection with the appearance of the object, the
medicine man is enabled to guess the whereabouts, or even the name,
of the enemy, who must then be proceeded agaijist in another ceremony
to annihilate the influence of any further acti%dties of his.
Should the water a])pcar clear and undisturbed, the death was not due
to himian machinations and no other ceremony is necessary.
As the priest mentions in turn each of the seven upper worlds— each
of which is figuratively said to be an "overhand " above the last—he
gradually raises his hands higher and liigher, until at the concluding
paragraph they are stretched high above his head. At the final
"y&^", his clients of one accord bend dow'n, and, dipping out the
water wdtli their hands, they lave their faces, heads, and breasts, or
else, wading out into the stream, they duck under completely seven
times in succession.
Each upper world represents a definite period of life, usually a
year, sometimes a month. In ceremonies for long life it usually
stands for a year. Should the omens in the water be propitious up
to the mention of the third, fourth, or fifth upper world, the client
will live in peace three, four, or five years longer. If all goes well
imtil lie is raised up to the seventh or higliest ui)por world he may
expect at least a seven years' lease of life. Beyond this the pro-
phetic ability of the ChcrokiH^ medicine man never goes.