564 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [eth. ann.46 



Crow Dance (Cong-ghai Wah-che). — This dance is performed 

 by the kin called Crows. Neck and head dresses of crow skins taken 

 off the bird entire with wings and head on are worn by all, and crow 

 feathers adorn their lances, shields, and other war implements. For 

 the rest, it proceeds much in the same way as the others. These are 

 mostly young warriors. 



Dance of the Mice Comrades or Provision Stealers (Wok-e-fo 

 maun noomp-pe). — This is done by a band of young men bearing the 

 above name. The dance is kept up all night and during it some of 

 (hem take by stealth the provision bales from the rest of the camp 

 who are asleep, on which they feast all night. 



The dance is performed in a large lodge, or rather several lodges 

 thrown into one for the purpose. The bales or other property thus 

 obtained are kept until daylight, when the haranguer of the camp 

 publishes that those who have lost anj'thing will go and redeem it, 

 and the several owners of the provision sacks present a piece of 

 tobacco to the dancers, who deliver them their property. By visiting 

 many lodges in the night a good deal of provisions, robes, etc., are 

 secured, which often take the best part of the next day to distribute. 

 The dress of this club, though gay, is not remarkable in any way 

 except they hold in their hands the skins of stuffed mice or have 

 the same attached to different parts of their attire. To describe the 

 whole of their dances in detail with the different costumes would 

 occupy too much space and perhaps not be required. We think 

 enough has been written to present a general idea of these per- 

 formances and their use with the Indians. 



Whip Dance (Etchap-sin-tai Wah-che). — This dance is per- 

 formed by as many warriors as choose to assemble with whips orna- 

 mented with eagle feathers and horse-skin wristbands tied to the 

 whips. In this the number of horses they have stolen from their 

 enemies at various times is boasted of. 



Divining Dance (Tee-chagh-hah). — The divining dance is a 

 complicated religious ceremony occupying a whole day and that part 

 of it appropriated to dancing is done by men and women promis- 

 cuously, headed by some of the divining men without any distinction 

 of kin or S23eeches regarding their coups. Their bodies are also 

 scarified and pieces cut out of their shoulders. 



Women's Dance (Ish-kun Wah-che). — This is a dance in which 

 women alone perform. They are painted in many ways and very 

 gaily dressed. The men drum and sing for them and the dancers are 

 ranged in two parallel lines opposite, dancing forward until they 

 meet, and then resuming their places. Besides the foregoing, there 

 are several other dances, all of which have for their object swav'ing 

 popular feeling in some way. Very little is done by Indians in any 



