68 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



. are represented on the bodies and limbs, for the reason that buffalo 

 bear them on their bodies. Red and black paints are used. In paint- 

 ing the faces of the women, a heart is represented on the forehead, 

 while at the corners of the mouth, horns are represented. A dark line 

 is drawn across the chin, and a dot upon the nose, representing the 

 buffalo calf. 



Old-Women's Lodge — Dog root is used as in the Buffalo-Women's 

 Lodge. Main root is used for incense. 



THE SACRED WHEEL PLACED ON ITS SUPPORT. 



A small willow stick, about three feet in length, was now brought 

 in and handed to Hawkan, who sharpened it at one end and split the 

 other end to a short distance, forming a crotch. Debithe now went 

 after the owner of the Wheel, who upon entering unwrapped the Wheel 

 and placed it in the fork of the willow stick, which was now thrust in 

 the ground in an upright position just behind the buffalo skull. In 

 1902 the Wheel was brought into the Rabbit-tipi on the first day of 

 its erection, 



CAPTURE OF A BUFFALO. 



The time had now arrived when it was necessary to bring in a buffalo 

 hide. It has been above stated, in the account of the preceding day, 

 that a buffalo robe had been staked out on a hill behind the camp. 

 This had been done by Naaseh (Little-Chief) and Hebethengn (Big- 

 Nose). It should have fallen to the lot of old Chief Ndwaht (Left- 

 Hand) to have killed the buffalo and bring its hide back to the camp; 

 but on account of his great age and partial blindness, Heichdbiwa was 

 selected. He started out, consequently, on horseback, with two men 

 of the Star society to show him the way. They arrived where the skin 

 had been erected on the previous night. Heich^biwa made a speech, 

 and then shot at it. The robe was passed to him by the men of the 

 Star society and he returned to the Rabbit-tipi with it. Here he was 

 received by Hdcheni, who took the bridle reins from his hands and 

 offered a prayer. Ndwaht also offered a prayer, told his war story, 

 and received the robe from Heich^biwa. With the assistance of the 

 others, Ndwaht now stretched the skin on the ground. Debithe then 

 brought out from the lodge a live coal on the end of a forked stick and 

 placed it in front of the robe and upon the coal sprinkled spruce twigs. 

 The men then lifted the robe up, and in unison swung it gently towards 

 the rising incense four times, and then passed the robe over the coal 

 until the smoke had thoroughly covered it. They now entered the 

 lodge. 



