458 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull, ei 



Analysis. — The triplet of eightli notes is so constantly repeated that 

 it can scarcely be called a rhythmic unit. It resembles a vibrato, 

 yet was evenly and distinctly sung in all the renditions of the song. 

 With the exception of the octave, which occurs midway of the song, 

 there are no intervals other than minor tliirds and major seconds. 

 There are 24 progressions in the song, 17 of which are downward. 

 The melody tones are those of the second five-toned scale, and the 

 song is melodic in structure. 



Probably no Sioux chief is more famous than Sitting Bull (Tataij'ka- 

 iyo'take, literally translated "Sitting Buffalo Bull"), plate 75, of 

 whom the Handbook of the Indians (pt. 1, pp. 583-584) says: 



Sitting Bull ... a noted Sioux warrior and tribal leader of the Hunkpapa Teton 

 division, born on Grand R., S. Dak., in 1834, his father being Sitting Bull, ... a 

 subcliief. . . . IletookanactivepartinthePlainswarKof the sixties, and first became 

 widely known to the whites in 1866, when he led a memorable raid against Ft. Buford. 

 Sitting Bull was on the warpath with his band of followers from various tribes almost 

 continuously from 1869 to 1876, either raiding the frontier posts or making war on the 

 Crows or the Shoshoni, especially the former. . . . His refusal to go upon a reserva- 

 tion in 1876 led Gen. Sheridan to begin against him and his followers the campaign 

 which resulted in the surprise and annihilation of Custer's troop on Little Bighorn R., 

 Mont, in Jime. During tliis battle, in wliich 2,500 to 3,000 Indian warriors were 

 eno-a»ed. Sitting Bull was in the hills "making medicine, " and his accurate foretelling 

 of the battle enabled him "to come out of the affair with lugher honor than he pos- 

 sessed when he went into it." (McLaughlin.) Sitting Bull . . . escaped to Canada, 

 where he remained until 1881, when he surrendered at Ft. Buford under promise of 

 amnesty and was confined at Ft. Randall until 1883. Although he had surrendered 

 and gone upon a reservation Sitting Bull continued unreconciled. It was tlirough 

 his influence that the Sioux refused to sell their land in 1888; and it was at his camp 

 that Kicking Bear organized the first ghost dance on the reservation. The 

 demand for Ms arrest was followed by an attempt on the part of some of Ms people 

 to rescue him, during wMch he was shot and killed by . . . the Indian poUce, 

 Dec. 15, 1890. 



Part of the writer's work was done near the site of Sitting BuU's 

 camp, and a majority of her informants had known him in the da3's 

 of his power. It was said that a striking feature of his every-day 

 appearance was a bunch of shed buffalo hair painted red, fastened 

 on the side of his head.^ There is a large number of songs connected 

 with his name, these being either songs which he sang or songs 

 into which his name has been introduced. No attempt was made 

 to collect many of these songs or to study the character of Sitting 

 BuU. Tw^o songs said to have been used by him in the practice of 

 medicine appear as Nos. 191 and 192. Sitting Bull is also mentioned 

 on pages 218 and 220. 



The followmg two songs of Sittuig BuU's are connected with the 

 last years of his life. 



» Shed buffalo hair was, and still is, greatly valued by the Sioux. It is said to " signify the limes when 

 the buffalo wore plenty and also a remembrance of the coming of the White Buffalo Maiden." In the 

 old (lays it was used as an ornament for the head, especially at a buffalo dance, and also as a charm by the 

 Bullalo societies. (See p. 04.) 



