558 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [ETB. ASK. 40 



sung. The rest consists in a loud chant by all the ring. After 

 swinging to and fro a moment they all move round in a circle by 

 short side steps, lifting their feet together and keeping the exact 

 time with the drums, and after describing one or two circles by these 

 movements the song concludes with a general shout from the men, 

 the scalp is forcibly shaken, and some warrior stepping forth from 

 the ring recounts in a loud voice either his share in the present glory 

 or some of his former brave deeds. This is received with a loud 

 shout of approbation, the drums beat up, the song commences and 

 another round or two is performed. 



Then some other makes a speech of a like nature, either in praise 

 of himself or of those who brought the scalps, and in this way it con- 

 tinues for several hours. Occasionally some old woman will take 

 the scalp in her teeth and shake it like a dog, or throw it on the 

 ground and trample on and abuse it as though it were a living enemy, 

 concluding with a short speech in praise of the warriors, and the 

 dance proceeds as before, the music going round with the dancers. 



During the night, or rather all night, nothing but the same danc- 

 ing and song is heard. They make small fires outside the lodges and 

 a dozen or so of young men and women, with a drum or two, sing 

 and dance around each fire, with or without the scalp, and without 

 public speaking. Sometimes 20 or 30 of such dances are going on 

 in different parts of the camp at the same time, all night and nearly 

 all day, for weeks in succession, until they grow tired of it, or some 

 new excitement supersedes. Their faces are blackened all this time 

 and the color left to wear off but never washed off. 



The opportunity is not lost by the young men during these night 

 dances to make love, in all the various ways that passion is suscep- 

 tible, and many runaway matches are concluded at these times, when 

 the young warriors having the advantage of the battle gloiy are most 

 likely to be successful. Portions of the scalp are also sent by runners 

 to the different camps, with the news of the battle. The tenor of 

 the song includes the names of the warriors who struck the enemy, 

 and if any of their names have been changed on this occasion it is 

 alsjp mentioned, so that the new name by the time the dancing is con- 

 cluded in the different camps is thoroughly known by all the nation. 

 This dance is not attended with any violent gesticulation or eccentric 

 motions, as has been represented, but is an orderly affair, and seri- 

 ously performed. Unless a scalp has been brought no singing or 

 dancing can take place. Even if many enemies were seen to fall, yet 

 the enemy must be struck, which is the coup, and the hair produced, 

 which is the proof. 



Brave's Danoe (Nappaishene). — This is performed by the group 

 or club of Indians bearing this title, who are tolerably numerous 



