274 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



weakened by the removal of the Bobtail Bull band to Fort Buford, 

 voted to impose restrictions on leaving the village. Dm'ing the late 

 winter and early spring of 1876 the Hidatsa and Mandan Black 

 Mouth societies were in continuous session to see that none went with 

 Custer. The real and effective sanctions were imposed, however, by 

 the households. The older men of the households advised their 

 young men that they should not go with Custer because of their 

 small numbers and the risk that those Sioux not participating in the 

 campaign might attack the village and murder the women and 

 children, leaving no one to perform the Victory dances if the young 

 men did return successful. I was unable to find a single instance of 

 physical restraint by the Black Mouths — the households had performed 

 their roles effectively. 



In spite of his early indifference to fasting, we find WoK Chief as 

 clan assistant to Corn Smuts performing an honorable role by staying 

 near his clan brother to the end of the NaxpikE ceremony and sub- 

 mitting to final torture after all others had terminated their fasting. 

 He cites the indoctrination of the young with promises of a good 

 life and wealth in contrast to those about them who were poor. 

 The reference to Spotted Bear's inability to endure the ordeal brings 

 out the point that, in status seeking, the torture feature was an 

 effective screen to eliminate some aspirants to high positions; by 

 displaying fear and pain, Spotted Bear unquestionably eliminated 

 himseK as a war leader, irrespective of the dream he might have 

 obtained during the ceremony. We see Wolf Chief's "fathers" at 

 this point praying to their own sacred bundles, not to the NaxpikE 

 bundle. Wolf Chief's description of the ordeal, the weakness of the 

 faster after 4 days without food and water during the hottest part of 

 the summer, and the role of his ceremonial fathers might weU apply 

 to any other Hidatsa ceremony during which fasting was customary. 

 Obviously, Small Anldes did not at this time realize the extent of 

 changed conditions when he said, "I am glad that Red Basket used 

 those . . . songs for you when he cut your flesh, for the sacred songs he 

 sang have always been lucky in conquering the enemy. Now you 

 will surely have good luck." By this time (1879) there was little 

 warfare. It appears that WoK Chief was aware of the changing times 

 for he interpreted the dream to mean that he would have much 

 property. We find that later events were interpreted as being 

 predicted by previous dreams; as he accumulated more property, 

 particularly cattle, he believed that his future had been previously 

 revealed to him. 



Had aboriginal warfare continued, WoK Chief's bravery in requesting 

 that his fathers tie him to a horse would have provided him great 

 prestige in military and social activities. Unfortunately for him, 



