May, 1905. 



The Cheyenne — Dorsey. 



61 



THE ASSEMBLAGE AND FORMATION OF THE 

 CAMP-CIRCLE. 



Formerly when the agent was not insisting that they assemble 

 promptly, hurry through their ceremony, and return to their homes, 

 much time was consumed in the formation of the camp-circle. In 

 the formation of the circle in 1903, however, less haste was shown 

 than in that of 1901. On July 8th the first band arrived, consisting 

 chiefly of the Dog-men Warriors. They pitched their tipis in the 

 plain on the right bank of the river, which had been selected as the 

 site of the ceremony. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) 



Formerly it was customary for the bands as they arrived to pitch 

 their tipis without reference to the camp-circle ; for as yet it was assumed 

 that the circle had not been definitely marked out. This task fell to the 

 members of the warrior society 

 of the Pledger who, when they 

 had erected their tipis and had 

 laid out the circle and placed 

 their tipis in the proper place in 

 the circle, were supposed to go 

 out and drive the remainder of 

 the tribe into the camp. When 

 the entire tribe had appeared 

 and a tipi known as the "War- 

 riors'-tipi" had been selected, 

 the camp-circle was formed. 



On the following day addi- 

 tional bands arrived, chiefly 

 from the Kingfisher and Dar- 

 lington districts (see Fig. 4) , and 

 the circle was marked out. On July loth additional bands arrived, 



and the circle was fairly 

 well filled, there being a 

 ' sufficient number of each 

 band present to give the 

 ircle the appearance of 

 completeness. 



The camp-circle was 

 more than a mile in diam- 

 eter, with an open space 

 or entrance on the eastern 

 side, probably a quarter 



Fig. 3. Section of the camp-circle, iqoi. 



- • J^a'^* ^<i*«*' -JHi^ 





4 



4. Arrival of a band at the camp-circle. 



