264 



BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 53 



the sick person. After the second rendition of the song there is 

 recorded on the phonograph cyHnder a sharp hissing sound which the 

 doctor makes as he breathes, or "blows," on the person receiving 

 treatment; after the third rendition there is recorded a shrill whistle, 

 which he is said to make as the bones issue from his mouth. It is 

 said that in the old days the ''doctor" did not take the bones in 

 his hand before swallowing them, but drew them directly into his 

 mouth from a shallow dish of water. The writer has been informed 

 by more than one eyewitness that when the medicine-men were in 

 possession of their former powers the bones, many of which were 

 much larger than those used in recent years, were actually swallowed 

 by them. 



No. 141. "The Approach of the Thunderbirds" 



(Catalogue No. 311) 



Sung by Ki'miwi^n 

 Voice J -88 

 Drum J - 138 

 (Drum-rhythm similar to No. 2) 



K— P ^— ^— 1_^ • ^ 



w^^^m 



Ka - bi-de-bwe - we - da - mo- wad bl 



ne - 31 - wQet 



--l"^. 



^^piiiSisliii^ii^l 



KB^ — 



kabide''bwewe'damowad' the sound approaches 



bine'siwug the (thunder) birds draw near 



Analysis. — This song contains a short rhythmic unit, which occurs 

 only twice. The song is major in tonality, but is characterized by 

 the frequent occurrence of the interval of the minor third, 67 per cent 

 of the intervals being minor thirds. (See Nos. 140, 151, 161, 163.) 

 Harmonic in structure, the melody contains only the tones of the 

 tonic triad and sixth. Attention is directed to the rapid drumbeat 

 in this and the following two songs. The approach to the harmonic 

 tone by the tone above is discussed in the analysis of No. 53. 



