DORSET.] BUSHOTTER ON THE SUN DANCE. 459 



belt fastened around Lis waist. From the waist up lie is nude, and on 

 his chest he paints some design. Sometimes the design is a sunflower. 

 A man can paint the designs referring to the brave deeds of his father, 

 his mother's brother, or of some other kinsman, if he himself has done 

 nothing worthy of commemoration. If a man has killed an aninial, he 

 can jmint the sign of the animal on his chest, and some hold between 

 their lips the tails of animals, signifying that they have scalped their 

 enemies. Others show by their designs that they have stolen horses 

 from enemies. 



§ 173. Bach one allows his hair to hang loosely down his back. Some 

 wear head-dresses consisting of the skins of buffalo heads witli the horns 

 attached. Others wear eagle war-bonnets. Each candidate wears a 

 buffalo robe with the thick hair outside. He tills his pipe, which is a ue iv 

 one ornamented with porcupine work, and he holds it with the stem 

 pointing in front of him. Thus do all the candidates appear as they 

 come out of the tent of preparation. As they march to the dancing lodge 

 the leader goes first, the others march abreast alter him. He who acts 

 as leader carries a buffalo skull painted red. All cry as they march, 

 and on the way they are joined by a woman who takes the place of her 

 "hakata," or cousin; and sometimes they are joined by a horse that is 

 highly prized by his owner. 



(.)FFERINGS OF CANDIDATKS. 



§ 174. The first time that they emerge from the tent where they sleep 

 they march around it four times, and they make ofl'erings of four blank- 

 ets, which they suspend from as many posts set up in the form of a 

 square within which the tent is erected. When they proceed from the 

 tent of preparation to the dancing lodge, one of their servants sets up 



preparation and tho dancing lodge. 



sticks at intervals, forming a straight line from the tent of preparation 

 to the dancing lodge, and on these sticks he places theii' offerings of 

 blankets and tobacco pouches. After the gifts are thus suspended, none 

 of the spectators can cross the line of sticks. 



§ 175. Capt. J. G. Bonrke has a wand that was used by one of the 

 heralds, or criers, during the sun dance. It was about 5 feet long, and 

 was decorated with beadwork and a tnft of horse hair at the superior 

 extremity. Whenever the crier raised this wand the people fell back, 

 leaving an ojieu space of the required area. 



