May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 117 



proper thing for me to do, for I want to get rid of my vow." "Well, 

 young man, the Cheyenne stake themselves to the ground on the hill 

 and fast, but it is not so with us. I am an old man and never heard 

 of such a thing. But, young man, you can clear yourself by erecting 

 an Offerings-lodge, and I shall do my utmost duty to hasten it along, 

 and the people will do what I say," said the old priest. So that same 

 night the word was given out that Famous, the Southern Arapaho, 

 would erect the Sun Dance lodge as soon as possible ; that the young 

 men should go out early in the morning and catch a jack-rabbit. 



The people were glad to hear the news, and prepared themselves 

 with good clothes, etc., for the coming occasion. In the morning 

 there were several parties on horseback, collected on the hills, and 

 they began to look for a jack-rabbit along the ravines all day long, 

 but came home unsuccessful. 



In the camp-circle there was a tipi by itself in front, used for a 

 general council, etc., and in that tipi the chiefs and head man had a 

 conference over the Sun Dance. The whole camp-circle was broken 

 up to move to a new site for the ceremony, and the people were 

 informed that the young man was to have a black steei (domestic) for 

 his buffalo bull hide in the fork of the center-pole. So the chiefs and 

 head men went to the Agent in Charge, who told the Indians to select 

 whatever they desired from the herd. When the people were moving 

 to the new site, a jack-rabbit jumped up on the way, and the people of 

 course seized this opportunity, and soon caught the animal. A party 

 of young men was sent out to look for the black steer (substitute), to 

 kill it, and to bring in the hide and beef. Thus the hide was furnished 

 as directed by the old priest. 



The ceremony began without much delay. When the two sods of 

 earth were to be searched for, this old priest told the Lodge-Maker 

 and dancers to get ready and put their moccasins on, for the distance 

 was far. This old priest's wife got a pony with a travois and a black 

 blanket and axe, while he supplied himself with a knife. "All those 

 who wish to go along, come, and let us journey for the sods. Some- 

 times it is necessary for some to put on moccasins for the long 

 journey," said the old priest. (In Wyoming, the sod for this purpose 

 is hard to find, and for this reason they had to go very far.) So the 

 party, consisting of the priest and his wife, who was riding the pony, 

 the Lodge-Maker and dancers, started after the two sods. They 

 finally came to a place where there was a spring, and the ground was 

 slightly wet and had some grass. After a short ceremony they placed 

 these sods on the travois, and away they went to the Offerings-lodge. 

 When the party (geese) got to the outskirts of the camp-circle, they. 



