uoBsEY] HAI^MDEPI. 437 



teutly fixed upon the object iu which they desire to be assisted by tlie 

 deity, and waiting for a vision from above. Once a day an assistant is 

 sent to looli njion the person thus sacrificing liimself. If the deities 

 have vouchsafed him a vision or revelation, he signifies the same by 

 motions, and is I'eleased at once; if he be silent, his silence is under- 

 stood, and he is left alone to his reverie. 



Others attach a bnftalo hair rope to the head of a buftalo just as it is 

 severed from the animal, and to the other end affix a hook, which is 

 then passed through the large muscles in the small of the back, and 

 thus fastened they drag the head all over the camji, their minds mean 

 while being fixed intently, as in the first instance, upon the object iu 

 which they are beseeching the deity to assist them. 



A third class pass knives through the flesh in various parts of the 

 body, and wait in silence, though with fixed mind, for a dream or reve- 

 lation. A few, either not blessed with the powers of endurance or else 

 lacking the courage of the chxss first named, will plant a pole upon the 

 steep bank of a stream, and attaching ropes to the nuiscles of the arm 

 and breast, as in the first instance, will stand, but not hang, gazing 

 into space, without food or drink, for days. 



Still another class practice the haijmdepi without such horrid self- 

 sacrifice. For weeks, nay, for months, they will fix their minds intently 

 upon any desired object, to the exclusion of all others, frequently cry- 

 ing about the camp, occasionally taking a little food, but fasting for 

 the most part, and earnestly seeking a revelation from their god.' 



§103. Similar testimony has been given respecting the Mandan, Hi- 

 datsa, and Ankara, though this last tribe belongs to the Gaddoan 

 stock. Smet wrote thus about them: 



They cut oft" their lingers aud make deep iuci^iona in the lleshy parts of the hody 

 before starting for war, in order to obtain the favors of their false gods. ( )n my last 

 visit to these Ricaries, Minataries, and Maiidans I could not discern a single man at 

 all advanced iu years whose body had not been mutilated, or who possessed his full 

 number of lingers. - 



In treating of the religious opinion of the Assiniboiu, Smet says: 



Some burn tobacco, aud present to the Great Spirit the most exquisite pieces of 

 butfalo meat by casting them into the fire; while others make deep incisions in the 

 fleshy parts of their bodies, and even cut off the first joints of their lingers to oft'er 

 them in sacrifice.' 



Lynd says: 



5il04. Frequently the devout Dakota will make images of bark or stone, and, after 

 painting them in various ways aud putting sacred down upon them, will fall down 

 in worship before them, praying that all danger may be averted from him and his. 

 It must not be understood, however, that the Dakota is an idolater. It is not the 

 image that he worships, » » » 1,^^^ ^]^(. spiritual essence which is represented by 

 that image, and which is supposed to be ever near it.^ 



' Lyntl, Minn. Hist. Soc. Coll., Vol. u, pt. 2, pp. 72, 76, 77. 



*Smet. Western Miseiona and MissiOBariea, p, 92. 



3 Ibid., p. la4. 



•■Lynd, Minn. Hist. Soc. Coll., Vol. u, pt. 2, p. 67. 



