248 Kansas Academy of Science. 



it, singing in mimicry all the while, and putting handfuls of sand 

 in his mouth now and then. He was in this manner mimicking a 

 squaw grinding meal. Four or five more played a farce in repre- 

 sentation of the immorality of the place. Another got the skull of 

 an elk and began to beat it, while several of his fellows danced the 

 double-column dance. As they were thus dancing, another one of 

 the order walked stately in a reverent manner to the column and, as 

 he prayed in jest, sprinkled each dancer with sand and ashes. In 

 this manner did he mimic the sun priest sprinkling the dancers 

 with sacred corn pollen in the estufa before they issued from it to 

 dance in the plaza. Just as the mock dancers were dispersing, a 

 funny man tumbled out of a house with an ear of corn in his hand. 

 Keaching the dancing area, he began to gnaw the ear like a dog 

 does a bone. Instantly another dog-acting man began to snarl 

 and growl, and finally sprang upon the bone-gnawer in a manner 

 that would make any stranger expect to see a genuine dog tight. 

 At that moment the attention of every one was attracted from the 

 pretended dog fight by the shrieks of the girls and women. The 

 clowns were making sallies on them. Some of the younger men of 

 the fraternity were trying to embrace the older women ; some of 

 the older men the young girls. This teasing of the women lasted 

 for a minute only. Then all the "funny men," acting upon a pre- 

 vious plan, tumbled and rolled over each other towards where the 

 war captain was standing, until they were within a yard or so of 

 him. Springing to their feet they seized him and carried him on 

 their shoulders to the center of the public square. Reaching it, 

 they placed him on a piece of buckskin and, in a body, demanded 

 a speech, the chief "funny man" introducing him to the motley 

 multitude in these words: "Here is our war-captain. He is a 

 brave man. He has killed the bear in his hole. He has been the 

 hero in many a religious hunt. He has captured the eagle alive 

 and unhurt. Years ago he fought the Navajos and drove them 

 even to their hogans in their own land. Aye, he is brave ! He 

 would fight even the demons of the land of fogs and storms. He 

 is a brave man. Hear him." 



Tiring of being thus made fun of, the war- captain turned a 

 flashing eye upon his tormentors and said: "You shall have a 

 speech." Then without further ceremony he proceeded; "This 

 earth is flat and round like a pancake and is known to possess four 

 places of habitation, situated one above another. Each has for its 

 roof the floor of the apartment above it, except this one, which has 

 the sky. A long, long while ago our people lived in the apartment 



