May, 19C3. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 197 



made a circular one. The man with the Pipe and the turtle were the 

 only ones left to witness the return. For six days there was a deep 

 calm over the water. During the absence of these animals, the man 

 with the Pipe bowed his head and listened attentively, and winked his 

 eyes softly, and at times coughed a little to attract the attention of the 

 turtle. Some of them returned to the surface in one day, some in two 

 days, some in three days, some in four days, some in five days, and a 

 very few on the morning of the sixth day. The sun had risen and it 

 was nearly noon when all had returned, when the man said to them, 

 "You have been gone in search of land for days and nights and 

 returned by parties, and since this is an important affair I would like 

 to know if there is any prospect to-day," said he, as he straightened 

 his position with the Pipe. There was no answer from any particular 

 one, but all answered that there was no sign of land underneath. "I 

 do not think that thece is any land underneath." "Yet, if there was 

 a land under the water one of us would surely have found it, but there 

 is none." "Yet we may have gone by a wrong course." "Maybe, 

 we all came back a little distance from it." These were sentences 

 spoken by some of the thoughtful ones. 



"Now, people, since you have failed to find the land underneath 

 this water, and in view of the fact that I have such a good companion 

 and desire to place it on solid earth, I wish to inform you that I will 

 seek for it, that Turtle will accompany me. I do hope all of you will 

 remain on this spot and await for our return. In the mean time you 

 can enjoy yourselves, and be on the lookout all the time. On the 

 seventh day I want all of you to be contented and patiently await for 

 my return. Watch the spots where we dive with good desires and 

 faith." (This man knew where the land was, for he was a part of it, 

 but for the good he had called every fowl of the air and animal in the 

 water to search for it. ) The people who had gathered around him 

 listened with respect and honor and each prayed with great reverence. 

 "Now, people, watch us carefully and bear in your minds to watch 

 patiently on the seventh day," said he, moving a little to one side. 



So this man took his Flat- Pipe carefully from his left arm and 

 embraced himself with it, first to the left shoulder, then to the right 

 shoulder, then back to the left, then to the right, and lastly to his 

 breast. At this fifth time, the Flat-Pipe became his body, i. e., it 

 adhered to him in the center, having turned into a red-head duck. 

 "Now, partner, get ready," said he. "Come with me," said he, as 

 he dived easily, the turtle doing the same. 



There was a big ripple on the surface where they left, and the 

 people wondered at it. There were quite a good many comments 



