350 ' BUREAU OF AMF.RTCAX F.TTTNOI.OGY Fntrx. ci 



Analysis. — This song contains only the tones of the minor triad 

 and fourth. The melotly progresses hirgely hy whole tones, as 56 

 per cent of the intervals are major seconds. The interval of the 

 fourth also is prominent, comprising 20 per cent of the progressions. 

 Several renditions were recorded; these are uniform in every respect. 

 The rhythm of the song is such as to suggest the presence of a rhythmic 

 unit, but it will be noted that no rhythmic phrase is repeated in the 

 melody. 



Wlien the warriors were acting as scouts or wished for any reason 

 to be unobserved, each wore a white cloth arranged like a blanket 

 and fre(]uently having eagle feathers fastened at the shoulders. 

 Somcitimes a s<^parate cloth covered the head, as shown in the draw- 

 ing by J^w (pi. 59), but the hands were always covered. It was said 

 that on seeing an enemy in the distance the warrior strung his bow, 

 making ready to shoot. As he came nearer the enemy he took an 

 arrow from his quiver, and putting the quiver close under liis arm- 

 pit, h(^ld the bow below it with the arrow in position, so that in a 

 moment he could throw open his ])lauket and send the arrow on its 

 wav. Plate 51 shows two Sioux in this costume, enacting the part 

 of scouts. This was a feature of a celebration of the Fourth of July, 

 1913, at Bull Head, S. Dak. 



If an open fight was expected the warriore put on their gayest 

 regalia. Feather ornaments had been carried in a rawhides case and 

 these, with the decorated war shirts, were donne^d 1)y the warriors. 

 Sometimes the men wore little clothing and rubbed "war medicine" 

 on their bodies. It was said that they mixiul earth which a mole 

 had "worked up," with a powdered herb, rubbing it on their own 

 bodies and on those of their horses. A specimen of this herb was 

 secured, which was identified as Gvtierrezia sarotlirae (Pursh) B. & R. 

 This specimen gi-ew close to one of the old buffalo wallows on the 

 prairie.- 



Some warriors preferred to be painted by the medicine-men. 



Little Buffalo (Tataij'ka-cika'la) was a man who "made medicine" 

 for the warriors. Using blue clay mixed wn th " medicine, ' ' he painted 

 a band across the man's forehead with a branching end on each 

 che;ik bone, the ]:)ainting being done only in war. In addition to this 

 the "medicine" was rubbed on the body and limbs of the warrior. 



Bear Eagle (Mato'-war)bli'), who had been painted in this manner 

 by Little Buffalo, recorded the two following songs. He said that 

 the first one was sung by Little Buffalo alone as he painted them, and 

 the second by the warriors after the painting was finished. He said 

 further that they did not sing in a loud voice, but that, having 

 mounted their horses, they sang this song of the man who had painted 

 them. 



