DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 167 



dances were to be hekl. The conical cloth tipi ])re vailed, smoke- 

 stained and weatherworn, but a few white tents were pitched at a 

 little distance, showing their occupants to be slightly removed from 

 the older Indian life. Very close together were the tipis of the 

 "old timers." No one need be ignorant of what took place in his 

 neighbor's tipi, although the openings were never exactly opposite 

 each other. 



The work of putting up the tipi was usually done by the women, 

 and it was interesting to watch the care with which they erected the 

 three main poles, tied these together near the top, laying the other 

 poles upon their intersection ; finally they put one pole in each corner 

 of the smoke-hole flaps of the cloth, sj)reading the cover neatly over 

 the framework thus constructed, fastening it together over the door, 

 and tying it to the stakes at the ground. 



The Indians in the camp numbered about 200, while many more 

 were visiting friends at the agency village. 



This celebration was conducted entirely by the Indians, solely for 

 their own pleasure. A subscription had been made by the traders, 

 agency employees, and leading "mixed bloods," which provided food 

 for the camps and prizes for the contest, but the management rested 

 with the Indians. There were no formal exercises and no speeches 

 by white men; indeed, the writer was the only white person there, 

 except the agency employees. 



The evening of July 3 found all in readiness. A rope marked off 

 the large tlancing circle and outside this were ranged various lemonade 

 stands and a platform for dancing provided with a covering of green 

 boughs. 



Although firecrackers were for sale at the stores they seemed to 

 have little attraction for the Indians, Some little boys solemnly 

 fired a few crackers in a secluded lane, and two rockets ascended 

 from the space in front of the Chippewa trading store. Aside from 

 this a dignified silence prevailed. 



The writer was awake early on the morning of July 4. It was 3 

 o'clock; the red dawn lay close to the pine trees in the east, and 

 from the Indian camp arose the deep throb of a drum. Never was 

 national holiday ushered in more impressively. He who sat beside 

 the drum greeted in his own way that which his race honored 

 before they ever saw the Stars and Stripes, and in their tipis his 

 kinsmen waked to say "the day is come." 



After breakfast the women were chatting good naturedly over 

 their cooking fires. From one tipi came the jingle of sleigh bells 

 as a brave handled the costume he had prepared for the occasion; 

 near the door of another lay a bundle of bright beaded trappings; 

 everywhere were the dogs and the babies. 



