258 The ceremony is described independently by James Adair, _History of the American Indians_ (London, 1775), pp. 96-111; W. Bartram, _Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida_ (London, 1792), p. 507 _sq._; B. Hawkins, “Sketch of the Creek country,” in _Collections of the Georgia Historical Society_, iii. (Savannah, 1848), pp. 75-78; A. A. M’Gillivray, in Schoolcraft’s _Indian Tribes_, v. 267 _sq._ Adair’s description is the fullest and has been chiefly followed in the text. In _Observations on the Creek and Cherokee Indians_, by William Bartram (1789), _with prefatory and supplementary notes_, by E. G. Squier, p. 75, there is a description—extracted from an MS. of J. H. Payne (author of _Home, Sweet Home_)—of the similar ceremony observed by the Cherokees. I possess a copy of this work in pamphlet form, but it appears to be an extract from the transactions or proceedings of a society, probably an American one. Mr. Squier’s preface is dated New York, 1851. 259 W. Bartram, _Travels_, p. 507. 260 So amongst the Cherokees, according to J. H. Payne, an arbour of green boughs was made in the sacred square; then “a beautiful bushy-topped shade-tree was cut down close to the roots, and planted in the very centre of the sacred square. Every man then provided himself with a green bough.” 261 So Adair. Bartram, on the other hand, as we have seen, says that the old vessels were burned and new ones prepared for the festival. 262 B. Hawkins, “Sketch,” etc., p. 76. 263 See Note on “Offerings of first-fruits” at the end of the volume. 264 Acosta, _Natural and Moral History of the Indies_, bk. v. c. 24, vol. ii. pp. 356-360 (Hakluyt Society, 1880). 265 Bancroft, _Native Races of the Pacific States_, iii. 297-300 (after Torquemada); Clavigero, _History of Mexico_, trans. by Cullen, i. 309 _sqq._; Sahagun, _Histoire générale des choses de la Nouvelle-Espagne_, traduite et annotée par Jourdanet et Siméon (Paris, 1880), p. 203 _sq._; J. G. Müller, _Geschichte der amerikanischen Urreligionen_, p. 605. 266 Clavigero, i. 311; Sahagun, pp. 74, 156 _sq._; Müller, p. 606; Bancroft, iii. 316. This festival took place on the last day of the 16th month (which extended from 23d December to 11th January). At another festival the Mexicans made the semblance of a bone out of paste and ate it sacramentally as the bone of the god. Sahagun, p. 33. 267 See above, vol. i. p. 5 _sq._ 268 Festus, ed. Müller, pp. 128, 129, 145. The reading of the last passage is, however, uncertain (“_et Ariciae genus panni fieri; quod manici † appelletur_”).