May, 1905. 



The Cheyenne — Dorsey. 



assembled for this purpose near 

 the center of the camp-circle. 

 (See PI. XXXII.) They were 

 accepted and the smoking of the 

 pipe signified their willingness to 

 lend their assistance in erecting 

 the lodge. The leaders of the 

 societies began to step oflf the 

 ground from the right of the 

 center fork, and this done, to 

 dig the holes and place in posi- 

 tion the outer uprights and join 

 them by cross-bars. (See Figs. 

 43 and 44, and Plates XXXIII. 

 and XXXIV.) 



Fig. 43. Preparing the timbers for the lodge. 



The Center-Pole. 



While the lodge was in process of erection, chiefs were securing 

 the center-pole, for chiefs only may participate in bringing the pole 



to the camp-circle. On this 

 day they themselves selected 

 one of their number and, led 

 by him, they went to the tim- 

 ber where a tree to be used as 

 the center-pole had already 

 been selected. Here they 

 halted and the leader talked 

 to the tree as if it were a 

 person, saying: "The whole 

 world has picked you out 

 this day to represent the 

 world. . We have come in a 

 body for this purpose, to 

 cut you down, so that you 

 will have pity on all men. 

 women, and children who may take part in this ceremony. 

 You are to be their body. You will represent the sunshine of 

 all the world." Another chief, necessarily one who had run 

 an enemy through with a knife or an ax, stepped forth and 

 related a war story in which he told how he had performed 

 such a deed; then he struck the tree, whereupon the younger 

 and more active chiefs began to fell the tree. Formerly 



Fig. 44. Erecting the lodge. 



