January i, 1920] 



NATURE 



439 



was only relieved from the strain by rising on his 

 toes. He was, however, expected to dance until 

 the flesh g-ave way. Others dragged buft'alo skulls 

 attached to their backs, and a man might request 

 that the stick be tied to his horse. Another form 

 of torture consisted in the cutting of gashes in 

 arms and body. A man when making his vow 

 designated the manner of its fulfilment, and those 

 who witnessed the vow were expected to see that 

 it was carried out. 



After a man released himself it was customarv 



suspension from the pole and the carrying of 

 buffalo skulls are seen, though the buffalo skulls 

 were usually allowed to drag on the ground. The 

 pole is decorated with streamers, and from the 

 cross-bar are hung two effigies cut from raw hide, 

 one representing a man (an enemy), and the other 

 a buffalo. The drum is seen at the right with two 

 singers beside it, and in the upper left-hand corner 

 two women are carrying kettles of food. Feasts 

 were often given in honour of young men taking 

 part in the sun dance for the first time, and in the 



Fig. 3. — Native drawing of sun-dance. 



to apply a powdered herb to the wound, which 

 healed in a short time ; it is said that even a swell- 

 ing of the wound was unknown among the Sioux. 

 The man then resumed dancing with eyes steadily 

 fixed upon the sun, and continued dancing without 

 food or water during that day and the following 

 night. As the sun rose on the second day it was 

 greeted by the leader with this song : " Here am 

 I, behold me. I am the sun, behold me." 



The scene of a sun dance, while the men are 

 still dancing, is shown in I-"ig. 3, a drawing by 

 a man who had taken part in the dance. The 

 NO. 2618, VOL. 104] 



camp there were various events taking place 

 during the dances. 



During the second day the men fell from ex- 

 haustion, and after being carried into the shade 

 they gradually regained consciousness. The even- 

 ing of that day saw the sun-dance ground deserted, 

 as it was the custom that all the people take their 

 departure before sunset of that day. 



While the element of pain forces itself on our 

 thought, it is interesting to note the unselfishness 

 underlying it. As the men were dancing they 

 "prayed for all in the tribe, especiallv the sick and 



