74 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. VII. 



This differed entirely from the elaborate and substantial lodge erected 

 by the Cheyenne and Arapaho. The limbs were sharpened at one 

 end and thrust into the ground in the form of a circle about seventy- 

 five feet in diameter, with a wide open space or doorway towards 

 the east. In this condition the lodge remained until the following 

 morning. 



Capturing the Centre-Pole. 

 In the mean time the men appointed by White-Eagle in the fore- 

 noon, led by the one who had located the centre-pole, had gone to 

 that part of the timber where the willow tree was standing. Arrived 

 at the tree they halted, and the leader, Little-Soldier, related a 

 war story, telling how he had killed an enemy. Then he rode around 

 the tree, thus capturing it. The man selected to chop the tree 

 walked around it four times, touching the tree once each time. Then 

 each man present marched around it, counting coup on the enemy. 

 After that it was felled without further ceremony, and carried by men 

 to the edge of the camp-circle, where it was placed so as to extend 

 north and south or crosswise to the sun, and there it was left until 

 the following morning. It should have been taken into the circle 

 in the afternoon, but the men were too late in returning with it. 

 As late as seven o'clock White-Eagle and Hairy-Bear rode around 

 the camp pleading that the pole be brought in, although they knew 

 that their plea would be in vain. Furthermore, the lodge should 

 have been dedicated on this night, but, as that was impossible, the 

 men invited to fast danced and sang informally, both within and 

 without the inclosure. 



The Four Tipi Altars. 



These altars, or dry sand paintings, were erected in the after- 

 noon, but the accompanying rites were not observed. Whether 

 each altar was the work of one priest, or of all in the tipi, was not 

 ascertained, nor is it known to what extent, if any, the dancers 

 were allowed to participate in any rites which may have accom- 

 panied the construction of the altars. 



Altar No. i. A circular area within the tipi had been cleared 

 and the ground made smooth. The diameter of this cleared space 

 was about five feet. The space surrounding the cleared area was 

 covered with sage, the butts being directed toward the outer edge 

 of the tipi. The symbol itself consisted of four concentric circles, 

 the one on the inside being red, the second yellow, the third green. 

 These circles were made by excavating the earth to a slight depth 



