D0E8EY.] LARGE WAR PARTY — SACRED BAGS — POLICEMEN. 321 



§ 197. The principal captains select the lieutenants, and assign to 

 each of the other captains a company of about twenty warriors. Each 

 of the minor captains camps with his own company, which has its own 

 camp-fire apart from the other companies. But only the two principal 

 captains select the scouts, police, etc. 



When the fasting, etc., begins (see § 191), even the captains wear 

 plumes in their hair. 



When the party is very large, requiring many moccasins, and they 

 intend going a long distance, a longer period than four days may be re- 

 quired for their preparations. 



According to < jafi n -na n pajl, the principal captains tie pieces of twisted 

 grass around their wrists and ankles, and wear other pieces arouud 

 their heads. This refers to the Thunder god. Two Crows says that he 

 never did this. 



§ 19S. Opening of the bags. — When the principal captains wish to open 

 their sacred bags, they assemble their followers in a circle, making them 

 sit down. Any of the followers or servants (the terms are interchange- 

 able) may be ordered to make an " uj&ii" in the center of the circle, by 

 pulling up the grass, then making a hole in the ground. Then the sa- 

 cred bags are laid at the feet of the principal captains, each one of whom 

 opens his own bag, holding the mouth of the bird towards the foe, even 

 when some of the warriors are going to steal horses. 



§ 199. Policemen or Wandce. — These are selected after the party has 

 left the village, sometimes during the next day or night, sometimes on 

 the secoud day. The appointments are made by the principle captains. 

 If the war-party be a small one, few policemen (from se":en to ten) are 

 appointed; but if it is a large party, many are appointed, perhaps 

 twenty. There is never any fixed number ; but circumstances always 

 determine how mauy are required. For a small party, two wauace- 

 nuda n/ hanga, or captains of police, are appointed, to whom the princi- 

 pal captains say, " Wandce $anuda n han'ga tat<§," You shall be cap- 

 tains of the police. Each of these wanace-nuda n/ hanga has several 

 wanace at his command. When any of the warriors are disobedient, 

 or are disposed to lag behind the rest, the policemen hit them at the 

 command of their own captains, the wanace-nuda n/ hanga. When the 

 wandce see that the men are straggling, they cry, " Wa n < ! wa u < !" On 

 hearing this, the warriors say, "The policemen are calling"; so they 

 run towards the main body. 



§ 200. Order of march for any war party. — The scouts, or wada u/ be-ma, 

 go from two to four miles iu advance during the day. There are only 

 two of these when the party is a small one ; but a large party has four. 

 These scouts are sent ahead as soon as they have eaten their breakfasts. 

 They do not always go straight ahead. Should they come to a hill, they 

 do not ascend, preferring to make a detour by going along a " skida," 

 or high level forming an opening between two hills. If, when they reach 

 there, they detect no signs of a foe, they continue on their way. Some 

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