where he sleeps, but on the second morning he re-enters the village, and marches
to the medicine-lodge, followed by a long train of neophytes, and carrying his
bow and arrows, shield, and medicine-bag, and each painted in the most fantastic
fashion. Hanging his weapons over his head, each man silently seats himself in
front of the lodge, and for four days maintains his position, speaking to none,
and neither eating, drinking, nor sleeping. At the outset, the First Man kindles
his pipe at the fire that burns in the centre of the lodge, and harangues the
neophytes, exhorting them to be brave and patient, and praying the Great Spirit
to grant them strength to endure their trial.
Summoning an old medicine-man, he then appoints him to the charge of the
ceremonies, and as a symbol of office hands him the mystery-pipe. After which
he takes leave of the chiefs and their people, promising that he will return next
year to re-open the lodge, and with slow and stately step passes out of the
village, and disappears beyond the hills.
The master of the ceremonies hastens to put himself in the centre of the lodge,
where he re-lights the pipe, and with every whiff of smoke utters a petition to the
Great Spirit in behalf of the candidates.
During the three days’ silence of the neophytes, the tribe indulge in a variety of
pastimes.
First and foremost is the buffalo dance, in which eight persons are engaged, each
wearing the skin of a bison, and carrying on his back a large bundle of faggots.
In one hand they hold a mystery-rattle, in the other a small staff. In four couples
they place themselves round the Big Canoe, each couple facing one of the
cardinal points of the compass, and between them dances a young man,—two
being got up in black, dotted with white stars, to represent day, and two in red, to
represent night.
A couple of medicine-men, dressed in the hides of grizzly bears, sit beside the
Big Canoe, and profess their intention of devouring the whole village. To satiate
their voracity, the women convey to them abundant supplies of meat, which
men, painted black all over, except their heads, which are white, in imitation of
the bald-headed eagle, carry off immediately to the prairie, pursued by a number
of little boys, painted yellow, with white heads, who are called antelopes. After a