48 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



confidence in him. (In the camp, there were old men and women, but 

 they were ignorant of the natural law which had just been given to 

 the race through this man ; in fact the people at that time were 

 ignorant of things and to a certain extent wicked. They were without 

 tribal law and had no feeling of sympathy one toward another, and 

 for that reason, this man who had rescued the people from starvation 

 was left behind with such a heavy burden.) This man then gave the 

 old people wisdom and knowledge of the various natural laws. He 

 gave them certain degrees with the right to conduct ceremonial dances. 

 Although these old people had never been in any ceremonies, they were 

 given full degrees, because they were old in the tribe and were the 

 only ones to conduct the rites. Thus a Buffalo-Lodge was erected in 

 the center of the camp-circle, the old priests and old women conducting 

 the ceremony. This was for the blessing of the people, for the increase 

 of the race and for an abundance of food. 



After this was over then he himself pledged for an Old Men's 

 Lodge. Before the real ceremony began, this man (Pledger) was 

 telling the priests how he came to obtain mercy from Buffalo Cow and 

 Calf in the wilderness with his large family ; that a large sacred bag 

 was revealed to him ; that before anything should take place this sacred 

 bag (wah-sahk) had toi be made for him. So it was made under his 

 direction by the prjests and old women. It consisted of bear claws, 

 buffalo horns, rattles, buffalo tails, paint, tallow (incense) and stones. 

 Thus an Old Men's Ledge was put up in the center and conducted 

 by the old priests and old women. These priests and old women have 

 even since transmitted the rites to this dav- 



The place where this man obtained the full mercy from this ani- 

 mal was very picturesque, the tops of the hills and mountains were 

 pointed, like the shape of the sacred bag. This man said that the 

 paint in the bag is for cleanliness, old age, etc. • The bag is painted 

 all red, everything that it consisted of pertaining to life. It is the 

 v/atchful eye of the Giver. This doctrine began about the middle part 

 of the world's Creation. Hocheni has the bag yet, but the contents 

 were burned with their owner, Circle-Chief. — D. 



Told by Black-Horse. Cf. No. 12. The sacred bag referred to in the tale, is said to have 

 been left by Curley to Backward, who in turn gave it to her grandchild, War-Path-Woman, the 

 present keeper. 



