DBNSMORE) MANDAN AND HIDATSA MUSIC 63 
been photographed for this work through the courtesy of Dr. Melvin 
' R. Gilmore. It is made of rawhide sewn over a small wooden hoop 
at one end. The rattle is 5? inches in total length, the handle is 24 
inches long, and the top is 44 inches in diameter. The handle is 
decorated with wild sage and the entire rattle is painted with native 
vermilion. 
So much time was required for recording the eagle-catching 
songs, with the information concerning them, that it was impossible 
to secure further details concerning the camp. Accordingly, the fore- 
going narrative was translated to Buffalo Paunch and Dancing Bull, 
members of the Hidatsa tribe, and an inquiry was made from 
them on the subject. They stated that the custom of their tribe was 
substantially the same that Benson had related concerning the Man- 
dan and added the following information as supplementary to his. 
They said that eagle catching among the Hidatsa was called a/masi 
mire’r, meaning “cache going into,” and referring to the position 
of the eagle catcher when at his work.*? Although many men 
camped together, each had his own eagle trap, which he never 
entered unless the wind was in the west. The remainder of the 
time was spent in the camp or in securing food. Those who were 
most “serious in mind” were accustomed to make a great effort 
to secure success. There was a sweat lodge in the camp, and some 
men tortured themselves in the sweat lodge, crying aloud as they 
prayed to the spirits for success in securing eagles. It was not 
unusual for a man to ask that cuts be inflicted in his breast or back 
similar to those sometimes inflicted during the sun dance. These 
were not made by Old Wolverine, but by the man’s “ clan fathers,” 
or “clan brothers.” A man who, after prolonged effort, was un- 
able to secure any eagles sometimes tortured himself severely in 
his effort to secure assistance from the spirits. A frequent cus- 
tom, in such instances, was to bend down a sapling so that when 
a man was suspended from it-by the flesh of his breast or back his 
toes would touch the ground. Usually a man enduring this tor- 
ture was released at midnight by Old Wolverine, but if the man had 
expressed a desire to remain in that position during the entire night 
Old Wolverine did not go to his relief until daybreak. This was 
a severe ordeal, as the nights at that season of the year were frosty 
and the man suffered from cold as well as from the pain of sus- 
pension. It was said that, in the old days, this torture was repeated 
from 10 to 30 times if it did not sooner bring success in catching 
eagles. 
&7 Matthews states that the covered hole or trap is called ‘‘amasi’.”” Op. cit., p. 58. 
