42 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



these beings, and to all gods is thus transmitted a general prayer that 

 they may extend their tender mercy and sympathy upon the entire 

 tribe. 



THE OFFERING OF INCENSE. 



This is an important Rabbit-tipi rite and is also performed on a 

 few occasions in the Offerings-lodge. For this purpose either spruce 

 or cedar leaves are used. Spruce leaves are more highly thought 

 of, for they produce a greater volume of smoke and a more intense 

 odor. Sometimes the Southern Arapaho use cedar when the rite calls 

 for spruce, as spruce is not easily obtained in Oklahoma. 



In bathing any object in incense, the smoke is supposed first to 

 be received by the Four-Old-Men, who in turn extend such sympathy 

 as they can give; then the smoke is received by the Sun, "who walks 

 in the center of the earth." The object passed over the incense is 

 purified. 



THE DRUM AND RATTLE. 



During the singing in the Rabbit-tipi and in the Offerings-lodge a 

 rattle or drum is used. The rattle is that of a medicine-man, is 

 scrotum-shaped, and had its origin from the Pleaides (the seven 

 brothers and their daughter, Splinter-Foot Girl), who are supposed to 

 be within the rattle, and who contain all of the ceremonial songs. It is 

 said that when the Man-Above was awaiting a selection by the people, 

 Prairie-Chicken offered his body for a rattle. The body is reversed, 

 the head being the handle. His body contains also the Four-Old-Men, 

 Sun, and Moon. These birds dance early in the morning, sing songs, 

 and scatter them, as if to dust themselves. 



The large drum used in the rehearsal, and during the singing in 

 the Offerings-lodge is spoken of as water and is said to come from the 

 rain clouds. By another informant it is said the drum is the earth, 

 which is the badger, and the drum-stick is the pipe-stem. The earth 

 represents the female element and the pipe-stem the male element; in 

 other words, the connection of the people, outside of the Rabbit-tipi. 



The parfleche or rawhide, the use of which will be explained later, 

 represents ill luck or famine and follows everything in the ceremony. 

 It is purified over incense and then thrown among the Dog-soldiers, 

 who beat it with sticks, thus killing it, and so occasioning joy and good 

 feeling among all, and a victory for the Lodge-Maker. As it also 

 personifies a distressed person, it is raw, plain, not adorned. 



