I40 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



dancers gathered about the fire and smoked. By this time the sun 

 had come out and the weather had grown perceptibly warmer, and all 

 were correspondingly happy. The lodge at this time was almost 

 crowded with people, sitting and eating, the whole forming a very 

 busy and happy scene. (See Plate LXXIX.) 



THE DANCERS PAINTED. 



After the feast the women gathered up such food as remained and 

 went outside of the lodge, where they formed in different groups and 

 ate with their friends. In the mean time, the Criers were calling for 

 this and that, and the scene was indeed a busy one. Then paint was 

 provided by the women for the grandfathers, who warmed it and took 

 up their positions, with the dancers in front of them. Then, as on the 

 previous day, the Lodge-Maker took his position in front of Hocheni. 

 The latter began to rub his second finger on the palm of his right 

 hand, as before, and after warming his hands over a live coal, he 

 passed the tips of his fingers from one extremity of the Lodge-Maker's 

 body to the other. He then rubbed the second finger of his right 

 hand down the palm of his left and again passed his hands over the 

 outside of the Lodge-Maker's body, the same operation being repeated 

 twice again. The Lodge-Maker then turned his back to Hocheni, who 

 smeared the paint here and there over his back. The Lodge-Maker 

 then went over to the fire, where he painted his body from head to 

 foot with white clay. 



As fast as the dancers were painted they dried themselves before 

 the fire. In the mean time, several priests began making wreaths and 

 bands of sage to be worn by the dancers. (See Fig. i, Plate LXXX.) 

 This completed, the dancers returned to the grandfathers for the final 

 paint. At this time also, fresh sage was put in the ditch. After the 

 dancers had been painted they resumed their position in the line, but 

 all in squatting posture, the Lodge-Maker having his feet, as usual, 

 on the sage in the ditch. (See Plate LXXXI.) The paints had now 

 been passed to the women, who had removed them. 



The chief priests, including Hocheni, Hdwkan, Chanitoe, Waakat- 

 dni, and Wadnibe, formed in a semicircular line in front of the dan- 

 cers. The Lodge-Maker now went to the fireplace and brought over a 

 live coal, which he placed in front of Hocheni, placing over it some 

 spruce leaves which had been handed him by Hocheni, and then drew 

 about him his buffalo robe, with which he wrapped himself when not 

 being painted or not engaged in active ceremony. Hawkan then 

 uttered a prayer. Hdcheni took up a rawhide rattle, which he held in 

 his right hand, and began slowly to shake it. The crowd around the 



