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things and I am to have talks with the Indians telling me the parts I dont understand.  I hope to get the Songs.  I have some of the music I think correctly. The cutting of the pole was very picturesque, four braves were picked out to strike
the axe into [[??]]as the South the West North.
East., then 3 girls who had been chosen with much
ceremony took the axe + chopped first East.. then West. then South.  As the pole fell [[??]] men +
women shouted.  Some half hour after this the pole had been trimmed + leaned up to the ground.  When the [[?]] Indian were camped in a large circle of
some 2 1/2 miles circular.

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The site had been chosen + hallowed.  Now came the
charge of ll the braves to drive away Evil Spirits.  Some 2 or 3 ? horse men ? their horses across the plain yelling firing - a fearful sight
+ din.  The Earth shook.  I had left the carriage
as the Dr's, horses were spirited and seemed as tho nothing could control them.

After the centre was claimed, the party divided +
one part charged from East to West by the North,
then went by the South returning to center by East.  So the space was made clear of Evil the pole was then brought on sticks + laid on the
place where the hole had been dug and then came
the sacrifice to the hole, and the gathering of the dancers who

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