64 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



importance, and which he arranged in front of him. The first piece 

 deposited was the tail of the rabbit, and had attached to it a small 

 bunch of red horsehair, and a root known as the "crazy root." 



The first piece was to form the center or heart of the animal, the 

 tail itself being black, and the red horsehair representing the "fire," 

 as it is called, or the life or blood. The second piece was deposited 

 about three inches in front of this, and represented the nose of the 

 rabbit. Attached to this piece of rabbit skin was a root known as the 

 "comb-weed." The third piece was placed in line with these two, 

 but to the west of number one, and represented the tail of the rabbit. 

 Attached to it was a root known as the "burning root." On each side 

 of this line of the three pieces of rabbit skin were then placed two 

 additional pieces of rabbit skin, forming respectively the fore and hind 

 legs of the rabbit. Attached to the piece representing the right or 

 south fore leg was a bit of root known as "dog root." The root 

 attached to the right or south hind leg was of the plant known as the 

 "old-woman's-travois. " The root attached to the piece representing 

 the fore leg on the left or north side, was of the cockle-burr, while 

 attached to the piece of rabbit skin representing the hind leg was a 

 piece of sage. 



The buffalo robe was now removed from behind the Lodge-Maker 

 and spread out with the fur side up, in front of the priests sitting on 

 the south side. Nishchanakati now took a bite of root and spat in his 

 hands five times; then taking the pipe-stem, he pointed with it to the 

 center of the robe, spitting at the same time, then at the southeast 

 corner, southwest, northwest, and northeast corners of the robe. He 

 then pointed the end of the pipe-stem promiscuously over the robe. 



Hdwkan and Chanitoe took a bite of root, and each spat in the 

 palms of his hands five times, according to the usual ceremonial 

 circuit; then they rubbed their hands up and down their bodies and 

 arms and on their heads. Chanitoe then took a bowl containing the 

 so-called "lime-paint" or white clay, and began painting the robe at 

 the southeast corner. Assisted by Hdwkan, he painted a narrow strip, 

 about three inches in width, entirely around the outer edge of the 

 robe. Then they smeared paint over a considerable extent of the 

 center. 



It is the intention to decorate the robe with the lime-paint accord- 

 ing to the decoration of the old Arapaho ceremonial robe, but of course 

 the decoration bears only a general resemblance to the symbolism 

 formerly employed. Then the two priests attached the seven bunches 

 of rabbit fur to the robe, in the proper position, placing first the heart 

 piece in the center of the robe, the nose piece at the front end of the 



