280 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS [ern ann. 24 
north of Anadarko, Okla. This particular house, by the way, I was informed 
had long been the scene of this and similar ceremonies. Indeed, on the previous 
day I had here witnessed the ghost dance. Arriving at the lodge about 2 o'clock 
in the afternoon I found that it was already thronged with people, those of mid- 
dle or adyanced age predominating. The floor had been carefully swept, and 
both the east and west doors were open. Just outside of the lodge, exposed to 
the full rays of the sun, was suspended the large drum above described, with 
its four supports. I was not able to learn on inquiry whether the drum was 
placed in this position ceremonially or whether it was simply for the purpose 
of tightening the heads through the action of heat. From the use of the drum, 
however, later in the ceremony, I am inclined to believe that this first exposure 
to the sun wa’ ceremonial in character. Within the lodge the occupants 
ussumed positions—some on one side, others on the other—leaving a large 
open space about the fire hearth in the center. Two old women assumed a posi- 
tion halfway between the hearth and the western side of the lodge, and to one 
of them was passed the bundle of counting sticks previously described under 
no. 59288. A number of men then gathered to their left, when the large drum 
was brought in and placed in their midst, and the smaller drum was placed 
in the hands of one of their number. The drummers then began a slow and 
measured beating, all at the same time joining in a sort of chant. This, I 
was informed, was a supplication to the sun that the game might proceed 
quietly and orderly, and that whichever side lost should bear no ill will toward 
the winning side, and that at the conclusion of the ceremony all might be 
happy. That this, however, does not represent the full meaning of the song 
is entirely probable. The old women then came forward toward the center of 
the floor, one of them bearing in her hands two small bone cylinders, around 
one of which was fastened a black thong. With arms outstretched aloft she 
turned toward the sun and uttered a prayer which lasted over a minute, all 
the others in the lodge keeping profound silence. She then passed the cylinders 
to an old man sitting on the north side of the lodge, who immediately placed 
ene in each hand and began to wave his arms back and forth in front of the 
body, the members on his side beginning to sing to the accompaniment of the 
beating of the two drums. After several passes he signified that he was ready, 
when the other of the two women occupying the center of the lodge guessed at the 
location of the unmarked cylinder. Her guess proved to be correct, and, as 
she represented the faction sitting on the south side of the lodge, a red arrow, 
symbolic of the south, was thrust into the ground in front of and between the 
two tally keepers. The cylinders were then passed to one of the members of 
the opposite side, who repeated the performance just described, when the 
woman who represented the party of the north side hazarded a guess. Before 
she did this, however, she touched the tips of the fingers of both hands to 
the side of the hearth, rubbed her hands in front of her face, and then out- 
stretched them in the direction of the sun. Thus the game was continued with 
varying fortune until about 6 o’clock, at which time the side of the north was 
in possession of all the counters. I was prepared from what I had observed 
of this game among other tribes to see some outbreak of joy upon the part of 
the victors. Instead, however, the game seemed one of intense solemnity. The 
cylinders were passed back to the woman representing the guesser of the win- 
ping side, who held them aloft as before and uttered a prayer. Next she took 
the bundle of counting sticks and went through the same performance, at the 
termination of which, without any intimation, both sides joined in a song 
accompanied by the low beating of the drum. This song was exceedingly 
beautiful and resembled nothing so much as a subdued but devout hymn of 
