300 OMAHA SOCIOLOGY. 



tents, though they claim a share in the sacred pole of the Omahas, and 

 they have sacred pipes. 



§ 157. Hunting party attacked by foes. — When a hunting party was sud- 

 denly attacked by an enemy the women used to dig pits with their 

 knives or hoes, and stoop down in them in company with the children, 

 to avoid the missiles of the combatants. If the tribe was encamped at 

 the time, the pits were dug inside the tribal circle. Sometimes the 

 children were placed in such pits and covered with skins, over which 

 a quantity of loose earth was quickly throwu; and they remained con- 

 cealed till it was safe for them to come forth. On one occasion, when 

 the Dakotas had attacked the camp, an Omaha woman had not time 

 to cover the children with a skiu and earth, so she threw herself over 

 them and pretended to be dead. The Dakotas on coming up thought 

 that she was dead, so they contented themselves with scalping her, to 

 which she submitted without a cry, and thus saved herself as well as 

 the children. 



When there was danger of such attacks the people continued their 

 journey throughout the night. So the members of the different house- 

 holds were constantly getting separated. Mothers were calling out in 

 the darkness for their little ones, and the young men replied in sport, 

 "Here am I, mother," imitating the voices of the children. 



§ 158. Return of the tribe from the summer hunt. — The people started 

 homeward immediately after the sham fight and the Hede-watci. But 

 there were always four runners who were sent about five or six days in 

 advance of the main body. These runners were always volunteers. 

 They traveled all the time, each one carrying his own food. Not one 

 waited for the others. They never pitched a tent, but simply lay down 

 and slept. Whenever one waked, even though it was still night, he 

 started again, without disturbing the others if they were asleep. They 

 always brought piecesof meat to those who had remained at home. Their 

 approach was the signal for the cry, "lkima n '<ju n ag^ii, hu n +!" — The mes- 

 sengers have come bach, halloo ! In the course of a few days all of the 

 people reached home; but there were no religious ceremonies that en- 

 sued. They always brought tongues to those who had staid at home. 



§ 159. Abae, or hunting the larger animals. — No religious ceremonies 

 were observed when a man went from home for a few days in order to 

 procure game. The principal animals hunted by the Omahas and Pon- 

 kas were the elk, deer, black bear, grizzly bear, and rabbit. 



When a deer was killed it was generally divided into four parts. 

 Two parts were called the "^e-<fi:u u " or ribs, with which were given the 

 fore legs and the ";e-na n/ qa" or hump. Two parts were the "^e-jega" 

 or thighs, i. e., the hind quarters. When the party consisted of five 

 men the ^e-ua n qa was made the share of the fifth ; and whea there 

 were more persons present the fore legs were cut off as shares. When 

 an elk was killed it was generally divided into five parts. The "^e-ju" 

 or fore quarters were two parts, with which went the fore legs. The 



