138 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 195 



far as they could, and the one who went in the direction the party was traveling, 

 left an arrow where he had been to be picked up as the party went by. 



If a foe were seen and the war bundle was "opened on him," he must be killed, 

 even if a mistake had been made and he turned out to be another Ponca and a 

 relative. 



When an enemy was killed, the Ponca scalped him, then cut off his head and 

 threw it away. The sign for Ponca in the sign language indicates this custom. 

 They also severed a dead enemy's hands from the wrists and threw them away. 

 They also slashed the slain foe's back in checker board style. This was called 

 "making a drum of an enemy's back." All these deeds were considered brave 

 and could be boasted about. [Skinner, 1915 c, p. 797.] 



Several such raiding expeditions were described by my informants, 

 Accomits of two of these, which I consider typical, are presented here. 

 The second describes an unsuccessful raid and the treatment accorded 

 its leader. 



A PONCA HORSE-STEALING RAID 

 ^s told by PLC 



Now I will tell you a story that I heard from one of the oldest men in the tribe 

 when I was a little boy. This story took place just before the Poncas were moved 

 to Oklahoma. They needed horses so some of the men decided to go and capture 

 them from the Sioux. Seven men started from the Ponca camp, which was 

 right by the monument [the monument to the Mormon pioneers, approximately 

 3 miles south and 2 miles west of Niobrara, Nebr. This was the "Gray 

 Blanket" village]. The whole Ponca tribe was camped there. 



They were carrying ropes to lead the horses that they captured. They went 

 west. They traveled quite a while before they saw any sign of the Sioux. Finally 

 they found a big Sioux camp. The Sioux were dancing. The leader of the Poncas 

 said, "We must hide until after dark." 



They found a big log of driftwood and hid behind it. They stayed there all 

 day. Once they were nearly spotted by a woman who came to gather wood. 

 The leader whispered "Don't shoot unless they see you." The woman turned 

 away before she saw them and went back to the village. 



The Sioux danced until dark. The Poncas waited until the camp had quieted 

 down, and then the leader said, "Now I am going to get the horses. You wait 

 on that high spot over there." He left them and crept toward the Sioux camp. 



The Sioux had their horses picketed near the tents so that if a horse made a 

 noise its owner could hear it. Finally the Ponca leader reached the Sioux camp. 

 He crept from one bunch of horses to the next, looking them over. Finally he 

 came to an especially nice bunch. He found a wonderful speckled horse there. 

 He picked out six other horses and put ropes around their necks. He led these 

 seven horses out of the camp, and all the other horses followed. 



Soon the Sioux found out what had happened and came in pursuit. "He! he! 

 he!" they were yelling as they came after the Poncas. The six other Poncas were 

 waiting in the place where the leader had told them to. They all got on the 

 horses the leader had brought. By this time the whole Sioux camp was awake 

 and coming after them fast. Dogs were barking and the men were getting their 

 weapons ready in the Sioux camp. The Ponca scattered, each man going his 

 own way. They thought they would have a better chance that way. 



The leader of the war party, the man with the speckled horse, was the first 

 man to return to the camp here. He came riding down between those two hills 



