274 EXPEDITION TO THE 



the flesh side of it, were drawn certain figures indicative 

 of the dream which the candidate had enjoyed ; for none 

 can go through this ceremony, who has not been favoured 

 with dreams. To the flag a pipe was suspended as a sa- 

 crifice ; two arrows were stuck up at the foot of the pole ; 

 and painted feathers, &c. were strewed upon the ground 

 near it. These articles aj^pertained to the religious rites, 

 whicii accompany the ceremony, and which consist in be- 

 wailing and self mortifications ; the object of these is that 

 the Great Spirit may be induced to pity them and assist 

 them in the undertaking. At two or three hundred yards 

 from the flag there is an excavation which they call the 

 bear's hole, and which is prepared for the occasion ; it is 

 about two feet in depth, and has two ditches, each one 

 foot deep, leading across it at right angles. The candi- 

 date places himself in this hole to be hunted by the rest 

 of the young men, all of whom, on this occasion, are 

 dressed in their best attire, and painted in their neatest 

 style. The hunters approach the hole, in the direction 

 of one of the ditches, and discharge their guns, which 

 were previously loaded with blank cartridges, at the 

 youth, who acts the part of the bear; whereupon he leaps 

 from his den, having a hoop in each hand, and a wooden 

 lance ; the hoops serving as forefeet to aid him in charac- 

 terizing his part, and his lance to defend him from his as- 

 sailants. Thus accoutred, he dances round the plain, exhi- 

 biting various feats of activity, while the other Indians 

 pursue him and endeavour to trap him, as he attempts to 

 return to his den ; to efiect which, he is permitted to use, 

 with impunity, any violence that he pleases against his as- 

 sailants, even to taking the life of any of them. This part 

 of the ceremony is performed three times, that the bear 

 may escape from his den and return to it again, through 



