1884J An accoimt of the War Customs of the Osages. 127 



the Kansas gens knows what is meant. He puts on a robe made 

 of bear or buffalo skin, and advances toward the party, with his 

 kettle-bearer, till he can hear what they say. He begins the con- 

 versation by asking them what is the cause of their halt. Then 

 he tell them the news from the village. After this he approaches 

 the warriors, going around them, and performing a rite, first at the 

 north, then at the west, south and east. Next he addresses the 

 Hanka captain, then the Cheezhoo captain, telling whether they 

 can enter the village. 



Having gained his consent, they leave all their blankets and 

 other clothing, as the pay of the old man and his servant. But 

 they retain their weapons. They are met by some of the people, 

 who give them other garments. Then the warriors separate. 

 The tents A and B are thrown down, and the war tent, C, is set 

 up again at the west. 



The final ceremonies are the scalp dance, captive dance (?),^ 

 dance in which they take the standards, and the trial over the 

 sacred bags. One of the captains may select any one of the three 

 dances to the exclusion of the others, or he may have two without 

 the standard dance ; but the trial over the sacred bag is never 

 omitted. 



The scalp dance. — Previous to this dance, the captain of one side 

 gives a horse to his principal kettle-bearer, who sells it for the 

 food needed at the feast which precedes the dance. The stand- 

 ard-bearers dressed in their finest attire, notify all the women in 

 the village : " We wish you to come and dance this afternoon." 

 Then the two captains go around the village, saying, " Ho, my 

 little sisters ! my comrades ! it is said you must pity me!" Each 

 captain walks around the village according to the side of the cir- 

 cle in which he camps, and each woman in dancing remembers this 

 rule. 



After the women have been called by the captains, the former 

 strip to the waist, covering their bosoms with pieces of cloth or 

 calico. They pretend to be men, decorating themselves with 

 feathers, paint, etc. They are led by one who carries the scalp 

 on its pole. She is chosen for that purpose by one of the captains. 

 Some women carry bows, others take arrows, some have war 

 pipes, and some carry peace pipes. The drummers sit in a small 

 circle around the pole. A great warrior arises and tells of his ex- 



^ Takdhe watsi" , in Osage, Its translation is doubtful. 



