152 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



dancer his earnest prayer and an effort to conquer, to survive, to com- 

 plete his three-days' fast, without falling, in spite of the opposition of 

 the intense heat of the sun. To survive means to win benefit. At 

 the conclusion of the dance all exclaimed, *'Thanks! We have attained 

 our desire!" 



BATHING AND PURIFICATION OF THE DANCERS. 



Water was now brought in buckets and in each were placed bunches 

 of sage, one for each corner and one for the center. Each dancer now 

 stood in front of the bucket, and taking the sage, dipped it in the water 

 and then passed the sage, barely touching their bodies, first about their 

 ankles, then up their legs, rubbing first the right side and then the 

 left, and then up their arms. Then they touched the symbol on their 

 backs and applied the sage to both shoulders and to their heads, each 

 motion terminating at the symbol on the breast. Then the dancers, 

 one by one, approached the medicine bowl from the south side, where 

 they stooped over it, while Chanitoe drew the feather across their 

 mouths, after dipping it in the liquid, from the left to the right side, 

 and frorh the right to the left. Then, placing the lips close to the water, 

 they produced the sound, such as has already been described, then 

 drank of the water, jumped over the bowl, and returned to their 

 buckets. 



By the side of the bowl of charm liquid, between it and the skull 

 of the altar, there should have been a small stick standing just to the 

 east of the medicine bowl. The upper end of the stick is forked, 

 while the stick is so placed that the prongs of the fork stand east and 

 west. On this fork rests a small bird, the common name of which 

 could not be learned, with its head pointing toward the bowl. It is 

 called the "packed" or carried (in a cradle) bird. According to 

 Hawkan, this is the same bird that is represented as being on the back 

 of the goose, as has already been mentioned. The bird is said to be 

 found near ponds and buffalo wallows, and is the apostle of the holy 

 water to the people. The reason for the absence of the bird itself 

 from the ceremony, was due to the fact that the skin which is always 

 used for this purpose had been forgotten, and was at that time at 

 Cantonement, about thirty miles away. The forked stick upon which 

 the bird rests is supposed to be an old man's cane, while the bird 

 itself looks down, telling the people that it wants every one to come 

 up and drink this water, as it is from above. After the ceremony of 

 the charm liquid, the bird is placed in a small sacred bundle and is 

 preserved for use in future ceremonies. 



On returning to the buckets, the dancers thoroughly washed 



