504 ' A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS. 



of the bison skulls collected there. To the chosen skull be affixes the ends of his 

 cords, aud drags it to the lodije, around which he must go with bis burden before 

 he can be released from it. No one is permitted to assist him, neither dare he to put 

 his bauds to the cords to alleviate his sufferings. If it should so happen that the 

 liorus of the skull get hooked under a root or other obstacle, he must extricate it iu 

 the best manner he can by pulling different ways, but he must not touch the cords 

 or the skull with his hands, or in any respect attempt to relieve the strain upon his 

 wound until his complete task is performed. 



Some of the penitents have arrows thrust through various muscular parts of their 

 bodies, as through the skin and superficial muscles of the arms, leg, breast, aud 

 back, 



A devotee caused two arrows to l)i' passed through the muscles of his breast, one 

 on each side near the mammae. To these arrows cords were attached, the opposite 

 ends of which were affixed to the upper part of a post which had been planted in 

 the earth for the purpose. He then threw himself backward into an oblique 

 position, his back within about 2 feet of the ground, so as to depend with the greater 

 part of his weight by the cords. In this situation of .agony he chanted and, kept 

 time to the music of the gong (sic), uutil he fainted from long abstinence and suffer- 

 ing. The bystanders then cried out, " Courage! courage!" After a short interval 

 of insensibility, he revived and proceeded with his self-tortures as before, until 

 nature being completely exhausted he ag.ain relapsed into insensibility, upon which 

 he was loosed from the cords aud carried oft' amidst the acclamations of the whole 

 assembly. 



Another Minnetaree in compliance with a vow he had made, caused a hole to be 

 perforated through the muscles of each shoulder. Through these holes cords were 

 pas.sed, the opposite ends of which were attached as a bridle to a horse which had 

 been jieuned up three or four days without food or water. In this manner he led 

 the horse to the margin of the river. The horse, of course, endeavored to drink, but 

 it was the i)roviuce of the Indian to jirevent him, aud that only by straining at the 

 cords with the muscles of the shoulder, without resorting to the assistance of his 

 hands. And, notwithstanding all the exertions of the horse to drink, his master 

 succeeded in preventing him, and returned with him to his lodge, having accom- 

 plished his painful task. 



§ 319. In describing the Hidatsa, Prince Maximilian says:' 



They likewise celebrate the Okippe (which they call Akupehri), but with several 

 deviations. Thus, instead of a so-called ark, a kind of high pole with a fork on it, 

 is jdanted in the center of the open circle. When the partisans (i. e. war captains) 

 intend to go on some enterprise iu May or June, the preparations are combined with 

 the Okippe (i. e., Okipa) of several young men, who wish to obtain the rank of bra^ e. 

 A large medicine lodge is erected open above, with a division iu the middle, in which 

 the candidates take their places. Two jjits are usually dug in the middle for the 

 partisans, who lie in them four days and four nights, with only a piece of leather 

 around the waist. The first partisan usually chooses the second, who undergoes the 

 ceremony with him. There are always young people enough to submit their bodies 

 to torture, in order to display their courage. They fast four days and nights, which 

 leaves them faint. Many of them begin the tortures on the third day ; butthe fourth 

 day is that projierly set apart for them. To the forked pole of the medicine lodge is 

 fastened a long piece of buft'alo hide, with the head hanging down, .and to this a strap 

 is fastened. An old man is then chosen, who is to see to the torturing of the candi- 

 dates, which is executed precisely iu the same manner as among the M.andaus. The 

 sufferers often faint. They are then taken by the hands, lifted up, and encouraged, 

 and they begin afresh. When they have dragged about the buft'alo skull long euougb, 

 * * * a large circle is formed, as among the Mandans, in which they are made to 

 run round till they drop down exhausted, when they are taken to the medicine lodge. 



'Travels ' » ' Id Xortli America, pii. 400. 401. 



