May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 61 



The four next painted a row of parallel dots on either side of 

 these two lines, Debithe and Watdnah painting a row of red dots to 

 the left of the red line, while Watangaa and Chanitoe painted a row 

 of black dots on the right side of the black line. The remaining sur- 

 face of the skull was then filled in with similar dots, those on the right 

 being black, while those on the left were red. Then, at the base of 

 the skull, on the right, was painted a small circle in black, represent- 

 ing both the full moon and the sun, while in a correspondingly opposite 

 position, on the left side of the skull was painted in red a crescent, 

 representing the first quarter of the moon, and also known as the 

 "bowl." 



Sage then took the Wheel and held it, while Watanah, extending 

 his hands in the direction of the skull four times, picked it up and 

 placed it in its proper position. Then, with four similar motions with 

 his hands, th^ head of the robe was placed over the skull, while the 

 Wheel was again replaced in position, just north of the center of 

 the skull. 



Further preparation of the skull was deferred until after the dig- 

 ging-stick and the double-edged knife had been ceremoniously deco- 

 rated, when work on the skull was resumed. 



From a large bunch of "grass" which had already been drawn 

 upon to furnish material for the scalp for the digging-stick, Hdwkan 

 took three bunches, one of which he gave to Watdngaa, another to 

 Watanah, retaining one himself. The bunches were about similar in 

 size, and the method employed in their preparation by the three men 

 was the same, " Watdngaa and Watdnah imitating the movements of 

 Hdwkan. Grasping in his right hand the bundle, which was three 

 inches in diameter, at a point about six inches from the base of the 

 stems, he divided the free ends of the bundle, turning or doubling 

 them back from the center, over that portion of the grass which he 

 held in his hand. He then took a small bundle of stems, which he 

 wrapped around the bundle at this point. Next, the bundle was 

 thoroughly tied with sinew at a point about four inches from the place 

 where the stems were doubled, the free ends then being trimmed off 

 squarely and evenly with a knife, just beyond the point where the 

 stems were tied. 



Two of the bundles were now inserted in the orbits of the skull 

 without ceremony. It should be noted that owing to the remarkable 

 state of preservation of the buffalo skull (which had been brought from 

 Wyoming by the Lodge-Maker) there still remained over the right 

 eye-socket a piece of skin, which was removed with difficulty. Before 

 attempting to remove it, however, Hdcheni went through the usual 



