230 THE OSAGE TRIBE. [eth. ANN. 39 



Wa-xthi'-zhi could not recall the songs of this group, which had, 

 therefore, to be omitted. 



Songs of the Symbols on the War Club. 



The songs next in order are called I'-tsi° Ba-xo° Wa-tho°, liter- 

 ally. War Club Waving Lines Songs. At the singing of these songs 

 the Xo'-ka rises and dances, holding in his hands the symbolic war 

 club used in the ceremony. (PI. 15.) One of the songs refers di- 

 rectly to the symbolic marks on the four sides of the club, when the 

 A'-ki-lio° Xo'-ka comes to the line containing the word ba-xo", wav- 

 ing, the Xo'-ka draws with his index finger an imaginary waving line 

 down the full length of the club to symbolize the north or the north 

 winds; when the line is smig containing the word tho-to°, straight, he 

 draws a straight line down the full length of the club to symbolize 

 the east mnds or the straight westward path of the sim. The next 

 waving line, the third to be drawn, is for the south, and the fourth 

 or final straight line is to symbolize the west winds or the straight 

 path of the sun from east to west. 



Wa-xtlii'-zlii could not recall the war-club songs of his gens, and 

 they had, therefore, to be omitted. 



Rain Songs. 



The next group of songs is called Ni-zhiu' Wa-tho°, Rain Songs. 

 A wi'-gi-e precedes the rain songs, but as Wa-xthi'-zhi could not 

 recall either the wi'-gi-e or the songs they both had to be omitted from 

 his recital. 



Songs of the Striking of the Earth. 



The songs following the Rain Songs are called Songs of the Striking 

 of the Earth. These songs are accompanied by certain ceremonial 

 acts performed by the Xo'-ka and the Singer. Unfortunately 

 Wa-xtlii'-zhi could not recall these songs, and they had, therefore, to 

 be omitted. However, similar groups of songs belonging to other 

 gentes, together with a detailed description of the ceremonial acts, 

 will be given later. 



Songs of Striking One Against the Other. 



The next group of songs that follow is called Ki-ka'-xe I-ki-tsi° 

 Wa-tho", freely translated, Songs of Striking One Against the Other. 



When the A'-ki-ho° Xo'-ka is about to sing tliis group of songs the 

 Sho'-ka removes the scalp that is fastened to the hanging strap of the 

 Wa-xo'-be and wraps the scalp around the middle of the war club 

 which he puts into the left hand of the Xo'-ka. The Sho'-ka then 

 takes up the Wa-xo'-be (sacred hawk) and puts it into the right hand 

 of the Xo'-ka. (PI. 11.) When that official has been thus equipped 



