May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 205 



ocean, which will separate us," said the man. So this man took a 

 handful of earth and threw it hard across the ocean and said, "Wherever 

 this earth shall light let there be an earth like this one for Nih'a"9a"!" 

 still sitting with his Flat-Pipe. The people conversed with each 

 other in one tongue, i.e., the various kinds of birds and water animals 

 upon the new earth. "Now, people, remember this as long as you 

 shall live upon this earth, and I wish to say yet, that Garter-Snake will 

 be your comfort and aid in the future. So now I will proceed to do a 

 favor for you," said the man, glancing at his Flat-Pipe. 



"Come over here, Garter-Snake, and sit down close to me, so 

 that you can see what is to come," said the man. Many people came 

 and offered themselves as material for the Wheel, but many were indi- 

 rectly unsatisfactory. One young man, Long-Stick, a bush that has 

 a slender body, with dark red bark, and very flexible, came up and 

 said, "Since this occasion is for future good, I therefore come to offer 

 my entire body for a circumference of the Wheel. You may know 

 that I am very quiet and inclined to go out and do good. So please 

 accept my earnest plea, so that my name may live a long time." The 

 offer was accepted and Long-Stick was made into a ring for the Wheel. 



Said the eagle, stretching its broad wings: "I am a bird of great 

 flight and besides my body is pure and holy. It is spotless in appear- 

 ance. You may know that I have strength and power. In view of 

 the facts above-mentioned, I desire to be used for symbols of the 

 Old-Men, and that my whole body may be utilized at all sacred rituals. 

 If the people should take feathers from me and give them to you for 

 honor and respect, please remember me and give them a helping hand." 

 "You may know that this man has this day requested faithfully that his 

 body be allowed to be used for various purposes, being more especially 

 anxious to be attached to the Garter-Snake (the Wheel)," said the 

 man. So the eagle feathers were tied in four bunches and laid by the 

 side of the Wheel. 



After the Wheel was nicely shaped, this man in the usual method, 

 painted it, and placed the Four-Old-Men at the four cardinal points. 

 Not only were these Old-Men being located on the Wheel, but also the 

 morning star (cross); a collection of stars sitting together, perhaps 

 the Pleiades ; the evening star ( Lone-Star) ; chain of stars, seven buffalo 

 bulls; five stars called a "hand," and a chain of stars, which is the 

 lance; a circular group of seven stars overhead, called the "old- 

 camp"; the sun, moon, and Milky Way.' 



'Sun means " snow eye," while moon means "night eye.'' The path mentioned is that 

 streak which is made across the water in the wooden bowl, also in the center of the skull. The road 

 which the rest of the things bear is the ditch in front of the buffalo skull. 



In regard to the two paints on the tallow, it is said that red paint was the starting-point 



