84 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



ing an axe. Nishchdnakati uttered another prayer (see Plate XIX.), 

 and Baihoh was led up by Wdtanah to the side of Nishchdnakati. 

 Here he uttered a prayer and was then led back to his position among 

 the Dog-soldiers. The three women then stepped back a few feet, 

 while Nishchdnakati again prayed, all making a peculiar noise at the 

 end of the prayer. He then stepped up to the tree, ejected spittle, 

 and moved the pipe-stem toward it slowly, four times, the three women 

 making similar passes with the axe, all touching the tree at the fifth 

 movement. (See Plate XX.) Hiss^hnihani struck the tree once or 

 twice and retired in favor of the wife of WaaksSnna, and Wdshieh 

 (Ugly), who in an incredibly short space of time, felled the tree. (See 

 Plate XXI.) During the labors of the two women, there was singing, 

 accompanied by the beating of a drum, on the part of the Dog-soldiers, 

 and loud yelling and shouting and the war-whoop on the part of the 

 other warrior societies. As the tree fell with a crash toward the 

 north, all gave a wild shout, rushed up toward the tree, touching 

 the stump (thus counting coup), rubbing their arms and breasts, and 

 then proceeding on toward the branches of the tree, where each broke 

 off a small branch. Then the warrior societies rode up and counted 

 coup in a similar manner. Hitantuh (Strikes-First) then stepped off 

 five long paces from the fork of the tree, down toward the base. At 

 this point the two women again cut the tree. (See Plate XXII.) 

 Then they cut off the forks at the proper place, and the tree was ready 

 to be transported to the center of the lodge. 



THE CENTER-POLE TAKEN TO THE CAMP-CIRCLE. 



According to the laws of the ceremony, the tree should have been 

 dragged with ropes in the hands of the Dog-soldiers, but on account 

 of the density of the cottonwood grove and the steep banks of the 

 river which it was necessary to cross, this was not possible. It should 

 further be stated that the tree was of unusual size, although straight, 

 and well adapted for the purpose to which it was to be placed. It was 

 therefore loaded on a wagon by the Dog-soldiers, there being much 

 shouting during this time, especially as they began lifting upon the 

 tree, the shouting being acccompanied by the blowing of eagle-bone 

 whistles. The men began to start back toward the camp. Just as 

 they crossed the river (see Plate XXIII.) and gained the bank on the 

 side of the camp-circle, they were met by the Star and Lime-Crazy 

 societies (see Plate XXIV.) who opposed them, and there now ensued 

 between themselves, on the one hand, and the Kit-Fox, Thunderbird, 

 and Dog-soldier societies, on the other, a very interesting sham battle. 

 (See Plates XXV. and XXVI.) 



