336 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



village, giving an oi)i)ortunity to other young men who are ambitioiis to signalize 

 themselves in tlie same way. 



Daring the memorable night of which I have just spoken the steamboat remained 

 by the side of the Maudan village, and the rain that had commenced falling contin- 

 ued to pour down it torrents until midnight ; black thunder roared, and livid light- 

 ning flashed until the heavens appeared to be lit up with one unceasing and appalling 

 glare. In this frightful moment of consternation, a flash of lightning buried itself in « 

 one of the earth-covered lodges of the Mandans and killed a beautiful girl. Here was 

 food and fuel fresh for their superstitions ; and a night of vast tumult and excitement 

 ensued. The dreams of the new-made medicine-man were troubled, and he had dread- 

 fnl apprehensions for the coming day — for he knew that he was subject to the irre- 

 vocable decree of the chiefs and doctors, who canvass every strange and unaccountable 

 event with close and superstitious scrutiny, and let their vengeance fall without 

 mercy upon its immediate cause. 



He looked upon his well-earned fame as likely to be withheld from him ; and also 

 considered that his life might perhaps be demanded as the forfeit for this girl's death, 

 which would certainly be charged upon him. He looked upon himself as culpable, 

 and supposed the accident to have been occasioned by his criminal desertion of his 

 post when the steamboat was approaching the village. Morning came and he soon 

 learned from some of his friends the opinions of the wise men, and also the nature of 

 the tribunal that was preparing for him ; he sent to the prairie for his three horses, 

 which were brought in, and he mounted the medicine-lodge, around which, in a few 

 moments, the villagers were all assembled. "My friends! (said he) I see you all 

 around me, and I am before you ; my medicine, you see, is great — it is too great — I am 

 young, and I was too fast — I knew not when to stop. The wigwam of Mah-sish is 

 laid low, and many are the eyesthat weep for Xo-fca (the Antelope). Wak-a-dah-ha-hee 

 gives three horses to gladden the hearts of those who weep for Eo-lca; his medicine 

 was great — his arrow pierced the black cloud, and the lightning came, and the thun- 

 der-boat also ! who says the medicine of Wak-a-dah-ha-hee is not strong ?" 



At the end of this sentence an unanimous shout of approbation ran through the 

 crowd, and the Hair of the White Butfalo descended amongst them, where he was 

 greeted by shakes of the hand ; and amongst whom he now lives and thrives under 

 the familiar and honorable appellation of the "Big Douile Medicine." 



477. Smoking the Shield (Sioux) ; a young warrior, making his shield, invites his 

 friends to a carouse and a feast, who dance around his shield as it is smok- 

 •ing and hardening over a fire built in the ground. Painted 1832, at mouth 

 of Teton River. 

 (No plate.) 

 I am soon to unfold the process of "smoking the shield." This is a very curious, as 

 well as an important operation in their estimation. For this purpose a young man 

 about to construct him a shield digs a hole of 2 feet in depth in the ground, and 

 as lar"-e in diameter as he designs to make his shield. In this he builds a fire, and 

 over it, a few inches higher than the ground, he stretches the raw hide horizontally 

 over the fire, with little pegs driven through holes made near the edges of the skin. 

 This skin is at first twice as large as the size of the required shield ; but having got 

 his particular and best friends (who are invited on the occasion) into a ring, to dance 

 and sing around it, and solicit the Great Spirit to instill into it the power to protect 

 him harmless against his enemies, he spreads over it the glue, which is rubbed and 

 dried in as the skin is heated ; and a second busily drives other and other pegs, in- 

 side of those in the ground, as they are gradually giving way and being pulled up 

 by the contraction of the skin. By this curious process, which is most dexterously 

 done, the skin is kept tight whilst it contracts to one-half of its size, taking up the glue 

 and increasing in thickness until it is rendered as thick and hard as required (and 

 his friends have pleaded long enough to make it arrow and almost hall proof), when 



