36 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 85 



and more confusion is shown in the later organization, but they 

 agree in stating that the niiko belonged to the Bear clan and in 

 placing that clan in the south cabin. My older informant allocated 

 this clan with the Tciloki. This was probably an error on his part 

 but he seemed to insist upon it. 



They have had no busk since the Civil War and no women's dance, 

 and the pasa is no longer used, only the miko hoyanldja. The dances 

 in the square are three stomp dances. Seven days before one of 

 these the " broken days " are sent out and on the day when the 

 sixth stick is thrown away they are all to be at the ground, while 

 on the seventh they are supposed to be taking medicine. Seven days 

 before the dance they also meet and pick out four clean young 

 men, called hilis hoboia, men whose wives are not pregnant, who 

 are not given to intoxicants, and who have not attended to the 

 digging of a grave during the preceding month. These men gather 

 four bundles of medicine (miko hoyanldja) which they lay down 

 with their tip ends toward the west. First they spread out a bed 

 of leaves called lodja issi, " turtle leaves," which should be taken 

 from hickory trees. The medicine is laid on top of these and more 

 leaves are spread over it. On the morning of the fast day all of 

 those who are to take medicine are supposed to present themselves 

 at the square ground. The fire is built up so that it will not go out 

 all day. Early in the morning the two hilis tcalaba prepare the 

 medicine, first the medicine for the women and children and then 

 that for the adult men. This is taken four times during the day, 

 the fourth time between one and two o'clock. Before they take the 

 medicine the yatika announces, on behalf of the chief, that each of 

 those intending to take it is to get a stick and throw it into a blanket. 

 These sticks are counted and the yatika announces the number. Four 

 times (or sometimes twice) during the day the men who are to 

 take medicine with the exception of the officials (the mikalgi, yatika, 

 hilis haya, and the two ta'pala) go out to get firewood so as to be 

 ready for the dance that night. Four men are selected to keep watch 

 of the fasters during the night, to see that no one sleeps or breaks 

 his fast, or drinks or goes with a woman. That is why the numbers 

 are taken. These four men are called istikona'ha, " men taking 

 away," because they take away the hat of anyone found sleeping 

 (and treat similarly anyone who breaks the taboos in other ways). 

 The hat they carry to the miko and, when the owner comes to get it. 

 he is fined. 



After they have taken medicine for the fourth time, they go to 

 the creek for a bath and then return to the square. The yatika 



