STEVENSON. ] THE MEDICINE LODGE. 237 
CONSTRUCTION OF THE MEDICINE LODGE. 
A rectangular parallelogram was marked off on the ground, and at 
each corner was firmly planted a forked post extending 10 feet above 
the surface, and on these were laid 4 horizontal beams, against which 
rested poles thickly set at an angle of about 20°, while other poles were 
placed horizontally across the beams forming a support for the covering. 
The poles around the sides were planted more in an oval than a circle 
and formed an interior space of about 35 by 30 feet in diameter. On 
the east side of the lodge was an entrance supported by stakes and 
closed with a buffalo robe, and the whole structure was then thickly 
covered first with boughs, then with sand, giving it the appearance of 
a small earth mound. 
Fig, 116. Interior lodge. 
FIRST DAY. 
PERSONATORS OF THE GODS. 
The theurgist or song-priest arrived at noon on the 12th of October, 
1885. Almost immediately after his arrival we boldly entered the medi- 
cine lodge, accompanied by our interpreter, Navajo John, and pleaded 
our cause. The stipulation of the medicine man was that we should 
make no mistakes and thereby offend the gods, and to avoid mistakes 
we must hear all of his songs and see all of his medicines, and he at 
once ordered some youths to prepare a place for our tent near the lodge. 
During the afternoon of the 12th those who were to take part in the 
ceremonial received orders and instructions from the song-priest. One 
Iman went to collect twigs with which to make twelve rings, each 6 
