Dec, 1905. The Ponca Sun Dance — Dorsey. 75 



and covering the excavated surface with dried paint. The three 

 inner circles were distant from each other about six inches. The 

 outer circle was not excavated, but was produced by covering a broad, 

 irregular area outside the third circle with red paint, which extended 

 as far as the sage. (See PI. VII, Fig. 1.) 



Altar No. 2. As in the first tipi, the central part of the space 

 within the tipi had been thoroughly cleared and the remaining por- 

 tion covered with sage. In the centre of this cleared area was a cross, 

 with arms of equal length, produced by two lines of sand made at 

 right angles. At the end of each line was a peculiarly shaped symbol 

 representing in a somewhat realistic manner the buffalo hoof. The 

 explanation given of this altar was that the sage represented the 

 people, the arms of the cross the paths of the buffalo and of the 

 four winds, the buffalo hoofs, of course, being symbolic of the buffalo. 

 (See PI. VII, Fig. 2'.) 



Altar No., 3. The cleared space and the sage occupied the 

 same relative areas they did in the first and second tipis. In the 

 cleared area was a comparatively level sand field, about two feet 

 in diameter. Surrounding this was a shallow trench two inches in 

 width, with its sides covered with red paint. Over the sand field 

 the narrow trench and the area of cleared ground still remaining 

 were scattered eagle downy feathers. According to my informant, 

 "there should have been four colors in this altar, but the leaders 

 had changed it to suit themselves, in order to make the medicine 

 stronger." The red trench was the symbol of the sun, while the whole 

 altar represented the nest of the Thunder-Bird. (See PI. VIII, Fig. 1, 

 and PI. IX, Fig. 1.) 



Altar No. 4. The altar in this tipi bore a general resemblance 

 to that in No. 1, the centre of the cleared area being occupied by 

 four concentric circles, the inner by four concentric circles, with 

 equal space between them. The inner circle, two feet and a half 

 in diameter, was blue, the second circle was red, the next blue, and 

 the outer circle red. No explanation was obtained concerning the 

 meaning of this altar, beyond the statement that it was the sun's 

 symbol of one of the four medicine worlds. (See PI. VIII, Fig. 2, 

 and PI. IX, Fig. 2.) 



THIRD DAY. 



At sunrise White-Eagle made the circuit of the camp-circle on 

 horseback, calling for the dancers to repair to their respective tipis 

 of preparation. 



