Page:American Indian Freemasonry.djvu/36

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comes toward morning to herald the promise of day. The waters thunder with deafening sound,—and so deeply do these sounds imbed themselves into the memory of the ears that it is days before they are forgotten.

During the intervals of the night at three periods the lights appear and the Brothers refresh themselves with berry juice mixed with maple sugar. The sacred incense of the O-yan-kwa is burned. The altars are covered when the light appears.

The morning song comes at last with the calling of great flocks of crows. Then appears the boar's head or perhaps that of a bear, steaming with the fragrant soup of the maize. There is a ceremonial partaking of the feast and then the O-noh-kwa is distributed. It is yet just before dawn and the company has adjourned. The session has been from the beginning of total darkness until its end.

The lodge of Neh Ho-noh-chee-noh-ga has been closed; the Ancient Guards of the Mystic Potence gather up their mystery bundles that hold the sacred Ni-ga-ni-gaaah. * * * * It is still night though the Ga-no-dah * * * * has been ended.

We wait in the darkness. Come all ye who listen!
Help us in our darkness journey, now no sun is shining;
Now no star is glowing. Come show us the pathway!
The night is not friendly; she closes her eyelids;
The moon has forgot us; we wait in the darkness.
"Follow me, follow me,"—so sings the whipporwill.
"Yes, I am following," so the Chief answers him!

****


Da-Ne-Hoh. What Has Happened Has Happened.

A tall bronze-skinned guide led the way over an ice rutted road. The journey from the mysterious East had

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