94 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



indicated on the center-pole with the stem of his straight ceremonial 

 pipe where the two rings, one of red and one of black, were to be 

 painted. Then the Lodge-Maker and his wife went through the same 

 performance. Then Wadtu painted a black ring about ten feet from 

 the end of the pole, and about five inches in width. Then Bihatu 

 painted a red band just above it. Debithe, followed by these same 

 individuals, now went to one of the poles on the south side and indi- 

 cated where it should be painted, and Waatu painted a black band 

 about the pole. This performance was repeated to another pole on 

 the south, whereupon all proceeded to the north side of the space, and 

 went through the same performance, Bihata, after the poles had been 

 selected, painting each one with a red band. Several men and women 

 now came forward from the throng of spectators and tied calico to 

 these poles. 



Certain members of the Dog-soldier society now took a large 

 number of willow boughs, divided them into two piles, and reunited 

 them, placing the ends of each pile in opposite directions. These 

 were then securely tied into a bundle by means of a long rawhide 

 rope, which, as has been noticed, was prepared in the Rabbit-tipi. 

 This bundle was then fastened in the fork of the center-pole. The 

 buffalo robe was now placed in the fork of the tree so that the head 

 of the robe hung over a short distance on one side. 



During the painting of the poles, members of the Star and Kit- 

 Fox societies had secured small forked poles and tipi poles which they 

 fastened together in pairs, like scissors, by means of buckskin thongs 

 near the upper ends, to help in the raising of the center-pole. Then 

 Naaseh stood by the side of the fork and uttered a prayer and told 

 his war story, relating how he stabbed the enemy with a lance, and as 

 he did so, he thrust the digging-stick, which had been handed him, in 

 the bundle of willows. 



THE LODGE-POLES PAINTED, 1902. 



We left the line of priests by the side of the buffalo skull, where 

 certain other objects of ceremonial nature had been deposited. They 

 now continued in single file on toward the east, where they encircled 

 the lodge in sunwise circuit. Having arrived at the northwest corner 

 of the lodge they drew up in line, having in front of them one of the 

 four rafter-poles, which purposely had been left on the ground. 

 Hdwkan then prayed. (See Fig. i, Plate XXXIIL) Then the follow- 

 ing stepped on the base of the tree and returned to their positions in 

 the line — Hdwkan, Debithe, Nd§n, Wadtanakashi, the Lodge-Maker, 

 Wahiibahu, and Yahiise. Nishnat^yana now made four motions 



