MALLERY.] CEREMONIAL PIPES. 539 
custoin existed among the Arikaras, who kept a special pipe in a “ bird- 
box.” Ifa criminal or enemy succeeded in smoking the pipe contained 
in the box he could not be hurt. This corresponds with the safety 
found in laying hold of the horns of the Israelite altar. 
The position of the pipe is significant. Its mouthpiece points to the 
entrance of the tipi. The visitor does not bring or offer peace, but 
hopes that the tribe visited may grant it to him. 
The four figures next following refer to ceremonies by which a war 
party was organized among some of the tribes of the Plains. A brief 
account of the ceremonies specially relating to the pipe is as follows: 
When a warrior desires to make up a war party he visits his friends 
and offers them a filled pipe as an invitation to follow him, and those 
who are willing to go accept the invitation by lighting and smoking it. 
Among the Dakotas this was succeeded by a muster feast and war dance. 
Any man whose courage has been proved may become the leader of 
awar party. The word leader has been generally translated “partisan,” 
an expression originally adopted by the French voyageurs. Among the 
Arapahos the would-be leader does not invite anyone to accompany 
him, but publicly announces his intention of going to war. He fixes 
the day for his departure, and states where he will camp the first 
night, naming some place not far off. The morning on which he starts, 
and before leaving the village, he invokes the aid of his guardian totem. 
He rides off alone, carrying his bare pipe in his hand with the bowl 
carefully tied to the stem to prevent it from slipping off. If the bowl 
should at any time accidentally fall to the ground he considers it an 
evil omen and immediately returns to the village, and nothing could 
induce him to proceed, as he thinks that only misfortune would attend 
him if he did. Sometimes he ties eagle or hawk plumes to the stem of 
his pipe, and after quitting the village, repairs to the top of some hill 
and makes an offering of them to the sun, taking them from his pipe 
and tying them to a pole which he erects in a pile of stones. Those 
who intend to follow him usually join him at the first camp, equipped 
for the expedition; but often there are some who do not join him until 
he has gone further on. He eats nothing before leaving the village, 
nor as long as the sun is up; but breaks his.fast at his first camp after 
the sun sets. The next morning he begins another fast, to be continued 
until sunset. He counts his party, saddles his horse, names some place 
6 or 7 miles ahead, where he says he will halt for awhile, and again 
rides off alone with his pipe in his hand. After awhile the party follow 
him in single file. When they have reached his halting place he tells 
them to dismount and let their horses graze. They all then seat them- 
selves on the ground on the left of the leader, forming a semicircle 
facing the sun. The leader fills his pipe, all bow their heads, and, 
pointing the stem of the pipe upward, he prays toward the sun, asking 
that they may find an abundance of game, that dead shots may be made, 
so that their ammunition will not be wasted, but reserved for their 
enemies; that they may easily find their enemies and kill them; that 
