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Show 236 THE MIDl'WIWIN OF THE OJIBWA. rest is taken, but when it is resumed dancing begins and is continued to the end. In this manner they indulge in singing and dancing, interspersed with short speeches, until the approach of sunset, when the members retire to their own wig'iwarns, leaving the Mide'- wigftn by the western egress. The ushers, assisted by the chief Mide', then remove the sacred post from the inclosure and arrange the interior for new initiations, either of a lower or higher class, if candidates have prepared and presented themselves. In case there is no further need of meeting again at once, the members of the society and visitors return upon the following day to their respective homes. DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. The mi'gis shell employed in the second degree initiation is of the same species as those before mentioned. At White Earth, however, some of the priests claim an additional shell as characteristic of this advanced degree, and insist that this should be as nearly round as possible, having a perforation through it by which it may be secured with a strand or sinew. In the absence of a rounded white shell a bead may be used as a substitute. On PL xi, No. 4, is presented an illustration of the bead ( the second- degree mi'gis) presented to me on the occasion of my initiation. With reference to the style of facial decoration resorted to in this degree nearly all* of the members now paint the face according to their own individual tastes, though a few old men still adhere to the traditional method previously described ( pp. 180,181). The candidate usually adopts the style practiced by his preceptor, to which he is officially entitled; but if the preceptor employed in the preparatory instruction for the second degree be not the same individual whose services were retained for the first time, then the candidate has the privilege of painting his face according to the style of the preceding degree. If he follow his last preceptor it is regarded as an exceptional token of respect, and the student is not expected to follow the method in his further advancement. A Mide' of the second degree is also governed by his tutelary dai-mon; e. g., if during the first fast and vision he saw a bear, he now prepares a necklace of bear- claws, which is worn about the neck and crosses the middle of the breast. He now has the power of changing his form into that of a bear; and during that term of his disguise he wreaks vengeance upon his detractors and upon victims for whose destruction he has been liberally rewarded. Immediately upon the accomplishment of such an act he resumes his human form and thus escapes identification and detection. Such persons are termed by many " bad medicine men," and the practice of thus debasing the sacred teachings of the Mide'wiwin is discountenanced by members of the society generally. Such pretensions are firmly believed in |