

SINGING AND DANCING. 333 



The religious singing over a sick man is exactly the 

 same as the singing in the scalp dance, except that in the 

 first case the interjections are the most dismal and doleful 

 wails, while in the latter they are the yells which accom- 

 pany the swooping charge on an enemy, or the blood- 

 curdling war whoop which proclaims a coup. 



The dance consists of the alternate raising or putting 

 down of the feet, accompanied by a quick jerking motion 

 of the body. It is varied by bounds and springs into the 

 air ; but there is no effort at posturing, nor any set position 

 for the feet. In the ceremonial dances, in which warriors 

 alone participate, the dancers form themselves into a 

 circle facing inwards, and sometimes join hands for a few 

 moments. Any position or contact which tends to re- 

 straint is, however, soon abandoned in the excitement to 

 which they work themselves. In the ordinary social 

 dances of almost nightly occurrence in the main camp, 

 and in which men, women, and children may all take 

 part, no positions are taken or set forms gone through. 



They know nothing of tenors, or altos, or bassos, and 

 have no idea of either waltz, reel, strathspey, or American 

 jig ; they do not even take partners, but each dances by 

 himself or herself to the music of his or her own howls. 

 How such singing and such dancing can give the pleasure 

 they undoubtedly do, is one of the problems of humanity ; 

 but for all purposes of excitement, almost indeed of 

 frenzy, they are amply sufficient to the Indian. 



I was one hot day sitting in the shade of a lodge in an 

 Indian camp, where all was monotonously quiet, when a 

 fat, jolly-looking old woman in a calico gown, and holding 

 a long staff in her hand, emerged from the door of a lodge 

 near by, and, without a word of preparation or invitation 

 to any one, fell at once into the regular song and dance. 

 In a few moments other women came out of other lodges 

 and joined at once in the accompaniment. The loafing 

 lovers and husbands, lying or squatting about on the 

 ground, lifted their heads, looked, and soon first one, then 



