May, 1905. The Cheyenne — Dorsey. 127 



The Rawhide Parflesh. 



At the end of the fourth song of the second set, the Lodge- 

 maker and Black-Man went by way of the south to the rawhide. 

 The priest took the Lodge-maker's hands, drew them toward the 

 rawhide four times, and the Lodge-maker took the rawhide and held 

 it out in front and to one side, its lower edge resting on the ground. 



Third Songs. 



The priests sang the first song of the third group, during which 

 Black-Man and the Lodge-maker slowly advanced the rawhide by 

 the corner as before. At the end of the song they stopped, but con- 

 tinued to hold the rawhide. During the singing of the second song 

 they advanced slowly. The third song was begun and they con- 

 tinued, still keeping the rawhide on edge and near the ground. At 

 the beginning of the fourth song they were very close to the circle 

 of priests, and as the end of the song approached the Lodge-maker 

 moved the rawhide back and forth toward them four times, and as 

 they reached the end of the song he threw it in among them, and they 

 beat upon it with their long-handled drum stick rattles rapidly and 

 without unison.* 



The Lodge-maker without formality filled two ordinary pipes, 

 which he started about the circle of priests, and they engaged in 

 smoking. 



Hand and Arm Drill. 



During this time the dancers, who had remained in two semi- 

 circles on the southeast and northeast sides of the lodge, arose and 

 adjusted their kilts. The priests continued to smoke and the dancers, 

 having made sure that they were in readiness, sat down. 



Fourth Songs. 

 The priests again beat with their long-handled rattles upon the 

 rawhide and began the first of the fourth set of songs. During this 

 time Black-Man secured the wreath of sage from the place it had 

 been occupying at the foot of the center-pole, and arranged it on the 

 Lodge-maker's head, first circling it over and moving it toward his 

 head four times. The Lodge-maker handed him his whistle and 

 Black-Man also circled it over his head once and motioned it toward 

 his head four times and placed the carrying thong about the Lodge- 

 maker's neck. At the end of the first song one of the priests arose 



•This rite represents the raising and calling of the buffalo. The noise made by the priests as 

 they beat on the rawhide with their rattles represents the sound made by the hoofs of the buffalo 

 as they left the cave, according to the myth. All songs are believed to be efficacious in drawing 

 the buffalo to the lodge. 



