556 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [ETH. ann. 46 



and commences singing. If the party has had any one killed, the 

 relatives of the deceased smear their faces and clothes with white 

 clay, the symbol of mourning, wear old, ragged skins on their backs, 

 go barefooted, cut their hair, arms and legs, and cry in loud 

 bowlings. 



In this event the camp presents a scene of mingled rejoicings and 

 lamentations, which are kept up for many days and nights in suc- 

 cession. If the loss on the part of the warriors is greater than the 

 gain — that is, if they have lost two or three men and taken but one 

 scalp — no faces are blackened, no dancing is done, and the scalp song 

 is sung throughout the camp, at the end of which all set up a howling 

 cry. 



It often happens that the party have all, except a few, been killed, 

 and should the partisan in that case have escaped he does not return 

 immediately to his own camp but remains in another for some time, 

 until the grief for the dead has in a manner passed, for should he 

 come home with the report of a general massacre of his party he 

 would run great risk of being put to death by the relatives of the 

 persons who fell while under his charge. 



Dancing and Amusements 



Dancing must be considered as a characteristic mode of expressing 

 popular opinion on most, if not on all, occasions and is generally done 

 with the view of swaying the multitude, and conforming their actions 

 to certain measures. It is also one of their principal means of pub- 

 lishing and handing down to posterity the remembrance of their 

 gallant actions, of inspiring the young with a desire for distinction, 

 and of awarding the praise due all brave warriors. Dances are 

 usually performed by the different kins, such as the Wolf-pups, 

 Braves, Bulls, Foxes, Mice, Comrades, Ducks, and Crows. All these 

 are societies, formed by different young men, some of which we have 

 had occasion to mention in a former answer, and all have for their 

 object combination in love or war. There is also the Soldier's Dance 

 in which none but these officers act, and several dances in which all 

 j)roiniscuously take part, or in which the distinction of the different 

 clubs named is not recognized. Of this nature are the scalp dance, 

 dance in the diviners' lodge, and others got up for begging purposes. 



Most Indians after having passed the degree of soldier and 

 emerged into that of chief or councillor seldom perform in any 

 dances, though they encourage it by their presence. There are but 

 two dances in which the women join the men, which are that in the 

 diviners' lodge and on the occasion of taking a scalp. There is 

 also another in which women alone perform, aided by a few young 

 men, say, five or six. The principles of all these are imbibed by the 



