Songs, Dances, and Ceremonies 151 



After going once around, each is back again near his 

 squaw, and she holds out to him the war club and utters 

 the little squaw yelp. Each brave takes his club, and now 

 begins the crouch dance. Going three times around, and 

 each time crouching lower while the squaws stand or sit 

 in a circle, arms down tight to side, but bodies swaying in 

 time to music. In the fourth round all are crouching 

 very low and moving sideways, facing inward. 



The music suddenly changes, and all do the slow sneak 

 toward the centre with much pantomime. The squaws 

 watch eagerly and silently, leaning forward, shading their 

 eyes with one hand. All the braves strike the fire 

 together, utter the loud war whoop, and stand for a 

 moment with hands and weapons raised high, then, in 

 time to the fast drum, dance quickly erect with high steps 

 and high heads to the squaws who utter the squaw yelp 

 for welcome, and all sit down as before. 



The squaws begin the singing again, repeat the whole 

 scene, but this time the chief falls when the block is struck, 

 and is left lying there when the other braves retire. 



His squaw stands up, and says: ^* Mee-heheenna tuk-tay- 

 ay-hay natang ee-tang-chang-keeng." (** Where is my chief, 

 he who led you to battle?") 



All look and whisper; his wife gets up to seek. Soon 

 she finds him, and flinging herself on his breast with 

 clasped hands, breaks forth in the lament for the dead, 

 which is a high-pitched, quavering wail. The warriors 

 lift him up and slowly carry him off the scene, out of sight, 

 followed by the squaws, who, with heads bent, sing : 



