8o Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



THIRD DAY, 1901; FOURTH DAY, 1902. 



This day corresponds to the fourth day of the 1902 performance. 

 The ceremonial paraphernalia has now all been prepared within the 

 Rabbit-tipi, the poles and supports of the great lodge have been 

 secured, and the center-pole has been located. There now remains to 

 be described the capture of the center-pole, the erection of the Offer- 

 ings-lodge proper, and the transfer of the sacred paraphernalia to the 

 new lodge from the old, with the final desertion of the latter. 



THE CENTER-POLE CAPTURED. 



While certain of the priests were performing a few minor rites in 

 the Rabbit-tipi, others started for the cottonwood grove to bring in the 

 center-pole, the cutting and transfer of which were attended with 

 interesting ceremonies. The Dog-soldiers went out with their leader, 

 Nishikdnawke (White-Antelope), at their head, carrying a pipe. With 

 them was the high priest, Hocheni, Waanibe, and Chaiii. Having 

 arrived at the particular tree, which had already been selected, and 

 which had been ceremonially captured, Hocheni lighted his pipe, 

 smoked, and then passed the pipe to the other leaders present. 

 Hocheni then uttered a prayer, and the two women with assistance 

 from some of the men, chopped the tree down. Usually, during this 

 performance, the Dog-soldiers sing to the time of the beating of a 

 drum and the telling of war stories. While the tree was being felled, 

 the Kit-Fox and Thunderbird societies joined them, and as soon as the 

 tree had fallen and had been trimmed, the men of the Dog-soldier 

 society fastened ropes to the forks and dragged it up toward the 

 camp-circle, where ensued a sham battle between the Dog-soldiers on 

 the one hand, and the men of the Star, Thunderbird, and Kit-Fox 

 societies on the other. The Lime-Crazy society should also have 

 joined in this battle, but they had not been warned in time, and conse- 

 quently were not present. The pole was then dragged to the center 

 of the camping-circle by the Dog-soldiers, who as they walked, blew 

 on a long eagle-bone whistle. It was now about three o'clock. While 

 the center-pole was being brought in, other members of the Dog- 

 soldiers had made an excavation for it, and trimmed the other poles 

 for the lodge, which had been brought in on the previous morn- 

 ing by certain women's societies. 



