May, 1905. 



The Cheyenne — Dorsey. 



159 



shakes the disease from the people, as the dust rises so disease 

 rises and passes away. 



In making the sacrifice, the Lodge-maker took a small piece of meat 

 and offered it to the small earth under the jaw of the buffalo skull 

 first making four passes; after depositing the meat he held his 

 palms over it four times. (See Fig. 93.) Then the assistant Chief 

 Priest dipped the tips of sprigs of sage in several bowls, rose, and 

 gave it to the Lodge-maker who went around by way of the 

 south to the altar and touched the tips of the arrows representing 

 the Cheyenne, and laid the bunch of sage down by their side, the 

 offering of sage expressing the desire that vegetation in general 

 may come. Other dancers took pieces of sage, dipped them in 

 a bowl of food, and offered them to the four painted reach-poles. 

 Thus, on the first day, it may be 

 said that the sacrifice is to the 

 altar; on the second day, to the 

 lodge itself. 



After the sacrifice came the 

 feast, the removal of the food, the 

 exchange of presents, the renewal 

 of the bed (see Fig. 94), and the 

 placing of the sage in the belts of 

 the dancers. Then the dancers 

 brought coals with which to light 

 the pipes for the grandfathers. 

 All being in readiness for the begin- 

 ning of the dance, Big-Baby placed 

 the buffalo robe upon the shoul- 

 ders of the Lodge-maker, directing 

 it toward him first four times. 

 During the dance the Chief Priest 

 stood beside the Lodge-maker and 

 danced with him, thus encouraging 

 him. At times during this and the 

 following dances the Lodge-maker 

 stood on five bunches of sage 

 which had been placed on the floor 

 of the excavation. Thus he stood 



Fic. 94. 



Woman removing bed from 

 the lodge. 



on the four medicine-spirits and the sun. It was during this dance 

 that one of the women who held a scapula aloft on a stick cried out 

 to the dancers: "Do not be afraid to look at it; it is the moon. 

 You will be like this some day." 



