uoeset.] THE WACICKA DANCING SOCIETY. 345 



The parting of the hair is reddened, and a narrow red stripe is made 

 from the temple to the jaw. 



Two Crows says that there are different styles of putting the paint on 

 the eyes, etc., with the exception of the two methods given above, which 

 never vary. 



§252. The dance may take place out of doors, or else in an earth- 

 lodge. It is started by the leaders, who begin the song, which is then 

 taken up by the singers. The dancers form a circle, and around this they 

 dance, following the course of the sun, according to ja^i n -na n -paji. There 

 are different steps in the dance, and each person keeps time with the 

 beating of the drums. 



ja^i n -na n paji says that the wacicka is as thick as a pencil, and is 

 about a half an inch long. It is white. It is generally shot at the candi- 

 date by a member who is not one of his kindred, though the kinsman may 

 do the shooting. It is generally given " wafianajl," invisibly, being shot 

 from the mouth of the possessor into that of the candidate, lodging in 

 his throat near the Adam's apple, aud knocking him down. Then the 

 candidate staggers and coughs, " Ha ! ha ! " (whispered). He hits him- 

 self on the back of his head and dislodges the wacicka into his hand, where 

 it lies white. A sacred bag is also given to the candidate. The wacicka 

 is always kept iu the mouth of the otter (that is, in the ki-ugaqixe), ex 

 cept when the owner wishes to shoot it from his mouth (at a candidate?), 

 according to c jaij;i n -na n paji. But J. La Fleche and Two Crows say that 

 the wacicka is spit into the mouth of an otter when they wish to use it 

 in the dance. 



A few of those carrying bags imitate the cry of the otter or that of 

 the flying squirrel: "Tcu! tcu! tcu! tcu ! tcu! " (in thirty -second notes). 

 Each one has a small piece of wood that has been hollowed with a 

 knife, and feathers that have beeu cut thin have been fastened on the 

 wood, making a whistle which causes the imitation of the cry of those 

 animals. On each bag some bells are put on the tail of the animal, and 

 porcupine work is around the legs. The dancer holds the head in one 

 hand and the tail in the other. It is aimed at the person to be shot at. 

 None are thus shot at but members aud candidates. 



§253. Order of shooting. — All stand in a circle. Then four of their 

 number are placed in the middle, standing in a row. They who do the 

 shooting remain in the circle, and each one of them shoots at one of the 

 four in the middle. When the latter or the second four have " gaoniide" 

 (i. e., have made the wacicka come out of their throats by hitting them- 

 selves on the back of the neck), they return to their places iu the circle, 

 and the four who shot at them step into the center and are shot at by 

 a third four. When the second four have " gaoniide," they return to 

 their places, and the third four take their places in the middle ; and so 

 on till all have been shot at once. Then the first four step into the center 

 again, and the last four shoot at them. This ends the dance. 



§ 254. None but members can take part in the dance, and the " liwa- 



