Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 187 



group for the performance of winter buffalo-calling rites, the prohibi- 

 tions against premature hunting, firing of guns, and noise around the 

 village, and even the prohibition of kindling fires, when the herds 

 were observed approaching the camp. 



Frequently no leader was selected to supervise the winter camp 

 when the people could not agree in council. In case of disagreement, 

 the conflict was resolved by these alternatives: no leader was selected 

 and the population was at liberty to move out in small groups under 

 individual leaders of their own choosing, generally eagle-trapping 

 leaders (this was the custom before enemies were numerous); the 

 population remained in the summer villages under the existing leader- 

 ship; or the Black Mouth society was selected to assume the role of 

 Winter Camp leader and police. This latter alternative was of 

 common occurrence when the Black Mouths had individually dis- 

 tinguished themselves and the people thought that one or more of 

 their members would have good luck as Winter Camp leaders. 



When the summer village had been organized by the council under 

 the leadership of one or two outstanding chiefs for a number of years, 

 the people frequently had relied so heavily on their good judgment 

 that when their chiefs died or were killed, a period of disorganization 

 followed while minor leaders competed for top positions in the council. 

 The council then frequently found it convenient to avoid rivalry and 

 hard feelings in selecting a Winter Camp leader by delegating the 

 authority and responsibility to the Black Mouths at large. On such 

 occasions, the Black Mouths selected the campsites, set the date for 

 moving from the summer village, supervised the party when moving 

 to camp, and kept in continuous session with a separate council lodge 

 for their meetings during the winter. They assumed collectively the 

 duties and responsibilities of camp leader. In case of misfortunes 

 during the winter, the entire group was criticized but the two leaders 

 of the society, representing the two moieties, were chiefly blamed 

 because of their positions in the society. It was such a camp organized 

 under the Black Mouths that Boiler described. 



The Black Mouths performed comparable services when, after the 

 corn had been hoed for the last time, the viflage organized a summer 

 buffalo hunt. In this instance, the council selected a leader who 

 had taken part in numerous ceremonies, particularly those concerned 

 with the buffalo or with sacred bundles containing buffalo skulls. 

 He was responsible for the activities of the group; he selected the 

 various camping points along the way and announced them in advance ; 

 he selected the scouts to travel ahead to watch for enemy war parties 

 or camps and to keep track of the herds and note their size and general 

 movements. These scouts were selected from organized men's so- 

 cieties inferior to Black Mouth status. In recent years the Kit- 



