SACS AND FOXES. 39 



riors, wlio give evident signs of satisfaction by emphatic grunts of 

 approbation. The bean is then put in the medicine-pouch and 

 held in the manner before described, and the dance continued with 

 more rapidity and energy, the performers making a low grumbling 

 sound, in imitation of the animals whose skins they hold. This is 

 continued some minutes with a spirited step and action of the figure, 

 when they commence shooting the bean from the medicine-pouch at 

 the chiefs and braves, and sometimes at the medicine-men assisting 

 in the ceremony, who immediately fall, and in writhing contortions 

 of the limbs and face vomit the bean, and resume their seats or 

 places in the dance. 



The ground is sometimes covered with prostrate figures, uttering 

 cries and groans of pain, mingling with their wild chants and mono- 

 tonous drum, forming a scene as wild and interesting as it was curi- 

 ous and novel. 



This part of the ceremony continued about one hour, and, like all 

 their religious rites, was conducted with great solemnity. The ground 

 around the lodge was crowded with visitors from three Sacs villages, 

 and some eight hundred were witnessing the grand fete. 



At this time, the guard, composed of some sixty of Keokuk's prin- 

 cipal braves, dressed in their war-paint, and wearing all their trophies 

 of the battle and chase, armed with spears, war-clubs, and bows, and 

 mounted on their favourite horses, painted and decorated with feathers, 

 came charging madly around the medicine-lodge, putting to flight 

 scores of women and children. 



The principal war-chief approached the mouth of the medicine-lodge 

 and related his war exploits, the number of scalps he had taken to 

 entitle him to the honour of the post he occupied as chief brave and 

 one of the guards of the medicine-lodge. 



Appemus, his squaw, and a young warrior, and several medicine- 

 men of lesser attainments in the mystical rites, danced slowly around, 

 with heads inclined towards the ground, halting at the end of the 

 lodge, speaking with great energy and spirit of the virtues and hero- 

 ism of the persons of his town who had died the past year, and more 

 particularly of his son (a young warrior) and daughter, saying that 

 he now yielded them to the Great Spirit, and wishing them a pleasant 

 journey on the white path to the happy hunting-grounds. 



His wife and a young brave were then prepared for initiation in 

 the mysteries of medicine-lodge. They first spread down upon the 

 ground a piece of broadcloth and calico; the squaw and brave were 



