428 A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS. 



The women dauce with their eyes turned toward the ground and with their hands 

 hanging closely in front, palms next to the person. The track left by their feet is 

 very pretty, being like a close-leaved vine. It is astonishing to notice how each 

 woman can leap into her predecessor's track. Water is partaken of and the entire 

 dauce is clearly indicative of the prayer for increase and plenty of buffalo. The 

 two mouuds remind one of larger structures and suggest many speculations, partic- 

 ularly when taken in connection with the manner of their building. 



In the great mystery lodge, whence so many of the sacred societies among other 

 tribes professedly take tlieir rise and inspiration, the fire is at the east, and is made 

 by placing four sticks meeting in the center and the other ends pointing to the four 

 points of the compass.' Just at that part of the initiation of the candidate when 

 he is to fall dead to the old life, be covered as with a pall, aud then ))e raised to the 

 new life, the remains of the four sticks are taken away and the ashes raised in a 

 sharp conical mound, again suggesting hints of a peculiar past. 



Upon the bluffs of the Missouri, on a promontory * ' * is a little depression 

 cntiu the ground, circular in form, with an elongated end at the east. The depression 

 is 1 foot in diameter aud abcnit 6 inches deep. Placing my compass in the center, 

 the long end or entrance was found to be exactly to the ea.st. To the south of this 

 sacred spot, for it is cleared and cleaned » » » every year, stood a large cedar 

 tree, now partly blown down. This was the sacred tree on which miraculous imper- 

 sonation of visions lit; and here the spirits tarried as they passed from one resting 

 place to another going over the country. About every 50 miles there is one of these 

 strange, supernatural resting places. 



PERSONAL FETICHES. 



§ 85. All medicines were regarded as mysterious or sacred. The heart 

 of a slain enemy was sometimes dried and put in the medicine bag to 

 be pulverized and mixed with the otlier medicines. "One or two days 

 before a war party started from the village of the Iowa, the man who 

 was to carry the sacred bag hid it while the others busied themselves 

 with preparing sacred articles" (probably their personal fetiches). 

 "The hunters often brought in deer, after eating which, the warriors 

 painted themselves as they would do if they expected to see an enemy. 

 Next, one of their number measured a certain number of steps in front, 

 when each man took his place, and knelt down. As soon as the word 

 was given, each one pulled away the grass and sticks, moving backwards 

 till he came to the poles, when he arose. Then each jjlaced his own 

 sacred objects (personal fetiches?) before him, and began his own song. 

 While singing, thej^ opened their sacred objects, asking for good luck. 

 They sang one song on opening them (as among the Kansa, see § 36), 

 and another while putting them back into their places, a song being 

 supposed necessary for every ceremony in which they engaged. In the 

 conversations which ensued, they were at liberty to Jest, provided they 

 avoided common or vulgar terms." 



DANCING SOCIETIES. 



There is very probably some connection between these societies and 

 the cults of the tribes now under consideration. (See §§ 43, 62, 111,113, 

 120, et passim.) 



I See }i 33 and 40. 



