IN THE FAR WEST. 63 



the programme for the night was iu honour of the animal 

 kingdom, and this my friend concluded to join, as lie thought 

 the previous terpsichorean evolutions rather ridiculous, and 

 therefore funny, and he could not see any fun going on without 

 wishing to take a part in it. When the circle was formed he 

 took his place in it, thoroughly resolved to grunt and jump as 

 well as any of his red companions. While waiting for the 

 signal to start, two men wrapped up in bear-skins rushed into 

 the middle of the circle from a tepee close by, and giving an 

 unearthly yell, commenced jumping, first to the right, then 

 to the left, keeping time to their heavy stamping by deep 

 abdominal grunts. Those around them went through the 

 same movements, and I noticed that my friend acted his part 

 as well as if he had been to the manner born. The two inside 

 imitated the actions of the animal they were supposed to 

 represent very well, in some cases, and whenever they pretended 

 to break through the circle those forming it played the part 

 of dogs and hunters and beat them back. After indulging in 

 this hard work for half an hour, all the terpsichoreans bounded 

 into the air suddenly, and gave a long, loud, and prolonged 

 yell that was so blood-curdling and terrifying that my friend 

 broke away at once, being actually startled out of his wits by 

 its intensity and fierceness. The suddenness of his retreat, 

 and his blanched countenance, caused me to laugh heartily ; 

 but when I learned that he knew too well what an Indian 

 war-whoop was in reality, and had cause to remember it, my 

 sense of ridicule was turned into sympathy, and 1 stopped 

 teasing him. 



This dance was followed by others in honour of the wolf, 

 deer, elk, and other quadrupeds, but all were alike in character, 

 except that the terpsichoreans inside the circle wore the skin 

 of the animal they represented, and sometimes imitated its 

 voice and action. The pale-faced dancer could not be induced 

 to take any further part in the ceremony, however, and the 

 fun which he saw in it at first had all vanished. 



We were awake the next morning at an early hour, and 

 seeing an unusual commotion in the encampment asked what 

 was going on, and were told that \\\Q potlatch would close with 



