DORSEY] EQUIPAGE FOR HORSES. 281 



a buffalo and plaiting it into a very strong rope as thick as one's 

 thumb. This rope was called ''^aha-fisa"," and was utilized by the 

 Omaha and Pouka instead of tlie common lasso for catcbing wild horses 

 in northwestern Nebraska. One end of the rope was formed into a 

 noose large enough to slip over a horse's head, and the ends of this 

 noose were secured to a long pole by small cords. The other end of 

 the rope, arranged in a coil, was fastened to the belt or waist of the 

 man. He rode with the pole held in one hand and tried to thrust the 

 noose in front of a horse. When he succeeded in passing the noose 

 over the head of an animal, he threw away the stick, which had become 

 separated from the' noose, and held the rope aloue, which he pulled 

 toward him. When the horse was caught, the man made an indii(Jdci" 

 (bridle or face cover), being careful to place some bnflalo hair over the 

 nose and under the chin, to guard against paining the horse, whose 

 eyes remained uncovered. 



Trappings for the saddle (sin'de-ehe(f'e) were used. Some years ago 

 a specimen of Omaha trapping was presented by the writer to the 

 Anthropological Society of Washington, and subsequently was depos- 

 ited in the i^atioual Museum. 



Traveling Gear. 



Snowshoes (s6hi°be) were worn by the Omaha and Ponkawhen they 

 traversed a region north of their modern habitat. 



For traveliug on foot a staff (hi-maugif-e) was used when it was 

 necessary to jiass over mountains; also when heavy loads had to be 

 carried. This staff differed from the crutch (i-maug^-e). 



The women had maca^a", or straps, for aiding them in carrying loads 

 of wood, etc. 



Boats. 



When they wished to cross streams they made hide boats, or 

 mandcha. These were manufactured from dried buffalo hides, which 

 were sewed together with sinew, and so tightly that no water could 

 penetrate the seams. Ten branches of red willow were placed within, 

 the ends being bent upward and fastened by withes to two other sap- 

 lings, which extended the whole length of the boat at the inside of the 

 gunwale. The ten pieces were the i^ici-ikidada". The rudder or steering 

 oar (]^isa"'^e) was fiishioned like the oars (mandu(|'ugahi), with the 

 blade flat and of the breadth of two hands. The rowers (u();iigahi akii) 

 sat near the bow, and the steersman (fisa'"(('a aka) took his seat at the 

 stern. 



' Musical Instruments. 



Battles were of five kinds, jexe were generally gourds; wata"' 

 dexe, gourd rattles, were always round, and were partially tilled with 

 seed, fine shot, or gravel, j^ahdnuija d^xe, green-hide rattles, were of 

 two sorts, one of which is "figuje," bent a little. Specimens of this 

 form are in the National Museum. 



