46 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



the second lodge-pole. The positions of the other poles were now 

 located, the third one being on the northeast from the excavation, the 

 fourth on the northwest, the fifth on the southeast, while the remainder, 

 up to the number of sixteen in all, were indicated by Hdwkan without 

 further ceremony, in a sunwise circuit. 



THE ERECTION OF THE SWEAT-LODGE. 



In th6 mean time, Debithe, Watdngaa, VVatanah, and Chanitoe 

 had begun inserting some slender willow poles in the ground, the north 

 and south poles being first interlaced, then the east and west poles. 

 After all the poles which had been inserted in the ground had been 

 interlaced, so as to form a dome-shaped structure, a long, slender pole 

 was thrust through by VVatangaa, from the west side. Neither the 

 base nor the tip of this pole touched the earth. All these poles had 

 been denuded of their boughs except at the very tips. (See Fig. 2, 

 Plate VI., and Figs, i and 2, Plate VII.) 



While these priests were erecting the lodge, a large quantity of 

 bark was brought by some of the boys and deposited to the southeast 

 of the lodge. The four messengers had in the mean time also gone 

 about the camp-circle collecting pieces of canvas, quilts, blankets, 

 etc., with which to cover the lodge when completed. (See ¥\g. i, 

 Plate VIII.) One of the priests gathered a bundle of sage, which he 

 carried inside and spread entirely around the floor of the lodge, in a 

 circular form, the stems of the sage pointing toward the fireplace, 

 except for the space lying between the doorway of the lodge and the 

 fireplace, which remained barren. 



One of the priests now brought out from the Rabbit-tipi the 

 painted buffalo skull, and carrying it slowly and carefully in front of 

 him, stooping over as he did so, he placed it upon the little mound 

 of earth to the east of the lodge, so that the skull looked directly into 

 the lodge. Watdnah then brought out the Wheel, wrapped it in its 

 recently offered coverings, and placed it in a flat position on top of 

 the skull, so that the feathers extended toward the west and fell down 

 over the forward projection of the skull. Watdnah next brought from 

 the Rabbit-tipi the rattle and a bag of spruce-leaves, which he 

 deposited south of the skull. 



While these preparations were going on, the messengers had 

 started a fire over a pile of stones, to which they now added the load 

 of bark. (See Plate IX.) Pails of water were also brought and placed 

 between the fire and. the door of the lodge, by other messengers. 



