904 THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION [eth.ann.14 



of a mixture, being half Delaware, one-fourth Caddo, and one-fourth 

 French, One of his grandfathers was a Frenchman. As the Caddo 

 lived originally in Louisiana, there is a considerable mixture of French 

 blood among them, winch manifests itself in his case in a fairly heavy 

 beard, lie is about 50 years of age, rather tall and well built, and 

 wears his hair at full length flowing loosely over liis shoulders. With 

 a good head and strong, intelligent features, he presents the appear- 

 ance of a natural leader. He is also prominent in the mescal rite, 

 which has recently come to his tribe from the Kiowa and Comanche. 

 He was one of the first Caddo to go into a trance, the occasion being 

 the great Ghost dance held by the Arapaho and Cheyenne near 

 Darlington agency, at which Sitting Bull presided, in the fall of 1890. 

 On his return to consciousness he had wonderful things to tell of his 

 experiences in the spirit world, composed a new song, and from that 

 time became the high priest of the Caddo dance. Since then his 

 trances have been frequent, both in and out of the Ghost dance, and 

 in addition to his leadership in this connection he assumes the occult 

 powers and authority of a great medicine-man, all the powers claimed 

 by him being freely conceded by his people. 



When Captain Seott was investigating the Ghost dance among the 

 Caddo and other tribes of that section, at the period of greatest excite- 

 ment, iu the winter of 1890-91, he met Wilson, of whom he has this 

 to say: 



John Wilson, a Caddo man of much prominence, \\ o-i especially affected, perform- 

 ing a series of gyrations that were most remarkable. At all hours of the day and 

 night his cry could be heard all over camp, and when found he would be dancing iu 

 the ring, possibly upon one foot, with his eyes closed and the forefinger of his right 

 hand pointed upward, or in some other ridiculous posture. Upon being asked his 

 reasons for assuming these attitudes he replied that he could not help it; that it 

 came over him just like cramps. 



Somewhat later Captain Scott says: 



John Wilson had progressed finely, and was now a full-fledged doctor, a healer of 

 diseases, and a tinder of stolen property through supernatural means. One day, 

 while we were in his tent, a Wichita woman entered, led by the spirit. It was 

 explained to us that she did not even know who lived there, hut some force she 

 could not account for brought her. Having stated her ease to John, he went off 

 into a lit of the jerks, in which his spirit went up and saw "his father" [i. e.. God], 

 who directed him how to euro this woman. When he came to. he explained the cure 

 to her, and sent her away rejoicing. Soon afterwards a Keechei man came in, who 

 was blind of on.- eye, and who desired to have the vision restored. John again 

 consulted his father, who informed him that nothing could '»■ done for that eye 

 because that man held aloof from the dame. 



While the author was visiting the Caddo on Sugar creek in the fall 

 of 1893, John Wilson came down from his own camp to explain his part 

 in the Ghost dance. Be wore a wide-brim hat, with his hair flowing 

 down to his shoulders, and on his breast, suspended from a cord about 

 his neck, was a curious amulet consisting of the polished end of a 

 buffalo horn, surrounded by a circlet of downy red feathers, within 

 another circle of badger and owl claws. He explained that this was the 



