AFTER THE FEAST, THE DANCE ! 



373 



In the evening, when the banquet was at an end, and 

 the " fire-water " with which the flesh of the bisons had 

 been bedewed had stimulated the brains and dispelled 

 the apathy inherent to an Indian's disposition, a new 

 spectacle was presented to our astonished eyes : fires were 

 lighted at numerous points along the mountain-ridge, and 

 before each blazing pile, men and women, naked, and 

 shining as if they had been dipped in a bath of oil, sur- 

 rendered themselves to the enjoyment of the most fantas- 

 tic gambols, and of indescribable contortions, recalling the 



"THE ENJOYMENT OF THE MOST FANTASTIC GAMBOLS." 



plantation-dances of the Louisiana negroes. No instru- 

 ment encouraged these athletes in their wild measures ; 

 but a few hoarse voices chanted an accented melody, which 

 served as an accompaniment to the variations modulated 

 ad infinitum and ad libitum by one or other of the cory- 

 phees. A single guitar resounded in front of our tent, 

 and however unskilfully its chords were strummed, it 

 did not the less produce on the ears of the Sioux all tlio 



