May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 187 



"Now since this is the way that our grandmothers used to do in 

 respect and reverence to your daily light, I will now take this knife, 

 root, and tobacco, and perform this operation. Let it not be painful, 

 and let the finger heal quickly!" 



The woman then bit off a piece of root, chewed it, and spat upon 

 the finger. She then marked a ring around the finger with the pipe- 

 stem. She called a woman to assist her to hold the arm steady, while 

 she took the small finger of the left hand, and with her right hand 

 cut it off. After the finger had bled a while, she placed a piece of 

 tobacco against the end to stop the bleeding and pain. A fat piece 

 of tallow was then placed over the tobacco and finger, and tightly 

 wrapped, the bandage remaining until the finger healed. Then the 

 woman lifted the piece of the finger which she had cut off upwards to 

 the Sun; then buried it in the ground for the pledger (Hairy-Face). 



Both returned to the tipi, feeling much relieved after the painful 

 occasion; but said it was for the good of the war party. Thus the 

 man was saved. 



After a long time the war-party returned, parading through the 

 camp-circle, inside and outside, in full war costume. Young-Chief and 

 Powder-Face led the parade, showing that they had each struck one 

 or two men in the fight. The rest of the men returned unhurt, but 

 their horses were shot down. Some of them came home as famous 

 warriors, bringing horses and goods for their folks. Quite a number 

 took scalps from the Utes. 



After their return there were scalp dances all night for some days. 

 Those who didn't go along were rebuked by the people. 



Some years afterwards, Powder-Face and Young-Chief were 

 wounded so that the people often coaxed them to stay at home when 

 a war-party was going out, but they both always went along. Young- 

 Chief was shot and killed by hay-makers near Fort Riley, Kansas, 

 while Powder-Face was frozen to death in Oklahoma seventeen years 

 ago. Both were leading chiefs at one time, and their names are still, 

 spoken of to this day. 



XIV.— CHILDREN'S Games During the Sun Dance 



Ceremony. 



In connection with the more serious rites of the great Sun Dance 

 ceremony occur many interesting minor events among the people at 

 large in the camp-circle, who are not personally connected with the 

 ceremony. The presence of the entire tribe in one camp naturally 



