252 PAPERS KKLATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



tators to join witli him in liis song of praise to tlie spirit of tlio <le})arted, 

 slowly waving the pipe over the buudle extols the virtues of the deceased. 

 As the mourners are generally very liberal in their presents, the singers 

 make a ])r()fitable business at these ado-wans. Tlie })ipe-stem is a pe- 

 culiar one; a flat stem worked witli porcupine quills and beads, in the 

 middle an eagle tail spread so each feather stands out by itself, and at- 

 tached to the center of each feather are small bundles of horse-hair, 

 wrapped with ribbons and (piills. Those who have seen the dance de- 

 scribe it as being very graceful and beautiful. 



Yiimni waci i)i — The circle dance. — A social gathering where those of 

 both sexes meet and dance around a pole planted in the ground. 



lliDiica ci-pi — Kight dance. — Many gather together, men and women, 

 with drums and singers, hy moonlight, to dance and sing. Forming two 

 lines (luite a distance apart, the men take up the refrain for a few 

 words; then the women answer. As a rule the Indians are too super- 

 stitious to leave their tipis after dark, so this dance is but rarely in- 

 dulged in. The Dakotah can hardly be said to know anything about 

 poetry, as the ho-ho-ho, ugh-ugh-ugh, or hi-hi-hi of their songs is only 

 now and then interrupted by the enunciation of words. Their language 

 is so tigurative that the meaning is generally the opposite to what the 

 expressions used would naturally convey. 



ORNAMENTS. 



There are but fevr now in use with any meaning. The number of 

 eagle feathers worn denote the number of enemies killed, the wing 

 feathers of the bald-headed eagle denoting male, and the black-eagle 

 feathers denoting women. If they scal[)ed the enemy, a broad red 

 streak is painted across the feather ; if shot, a round red spot is painted 

 upon it; if the person killed was of prominence or reputation, the feathers 

 are dyed red. The above is also applied to the killing of a grizzly bear. 

 Small sticks arrayed with porcupine quills are sometimes attached to 

 the quill of the feather, and small pieces of white fur glued to the ends. 

 Ko one will wear an eagle feather unless entitled to it, as they believe 

 it will tly away from their heads if worn unlawfully. 



Many of the so-called civilized Indians still retain the custom of ar- 

 ranging the 8cali)-lock. The scalp-lock proper is a ])erfectly round cir- 

 cle on the center of the head where the hair grows ton [)oint. Around 

 this lock they tie very lirndy a bead band an inch wide ; the hair is then 

 braided, an otter skin twisted aiound it spirally, iorming a braid 2 and 

 even 4 feet long; this is kept oiled and ni(;e for the enemy to cai)ture if 

 they get a chaniie; tlu^ ])art is dyed vermilion, if an Indian has the 

 tin)e and tiie person killed is of imi)ortance, they will take tlu'. entire 

 scalp, including the eyebrows and ears. The scalps are stretched on 

 lioops and dried; sometimes a picture will be i)ainted upon the skin 

 representing the history of its ca^iture. The Indians have many orna 

 ments; none, however, are of any particular signiticauce. It is not to 



