434 THE MOUNTAIN CHANT. 
were not painted black —legs and forearms—were daubed with white 
earth. Instead of the wand of the akaninili, each bore in his hand one 
of the great plumed arrows. While they were making the usual circuits 
around the fire, the patient (a man on this occasion) was placed sitting 
on a buffalo robe in front of the orchestra. They halted before the pa- 

Fic. 54. Dancer holding up the great plumed Fic. 55. Dancer ‘‘swallowing” the great plumed 
arrow. arrow. 
tient; each dancer seized his arrow between his thumb and forefinger 
about eight inches from the tip, held the arrow upto view, giving acoyote- 
like yelp, as if to say, “So far will I swallow it” (Fig. 54), and then ap- 
peared to thrust the arrow, slowly and painfully, down his throat (Fig. 
55) as far as indicated. While the arrows seemed still to be stuck in 
their throats, they danced a chassé, right and left, with short, shuffling 

ee a a a 
