TJie Cree Sun Dance. 25 



though sharp, was hardly as pointed as the large Made in a 

 pocket pen-knife. As the incision was made, a noise resem- 

 bling the tearing of linen, a good deal deadened, was heard. 

 The effect on a white man is not altogether pleasant. The 

 knife came out of the flesh about three or four inches from 

 the spot at which it entered. It was left there until the 

 medicine man stooped to pick up a skewer about as thick as a 

 common lead pencil. It was then withdrawn and the skewer 

 inserted in its place. 



During tne whole of this operation the young buck never 

 quailed, nor did his eye, which bore a perfectly stolid ex- 

 pression, reveal the slightest trace of suffering. Suspended 

 from the top of the medicine pole were two ropes, to the 

 end of each of which was fastened a leather thong. This 

 latter was attached to each of the skewers (for the incision 

 was made in each breast), and the buck thus firmly tied. 

 This performed, an incantation by the medicine man follow- 

 ed. The music as described, recommenced, and the dance in 

 all its ghastly earnestness began. The young buck was 

 compelled to dance in time, swinging through the circle in 

 which the spectators were found, and keeping the ropes 

 tightened by a centrifugal tension. The flesh and skin of his 

 breasts were thus drawn out in a pointed shape about half 

 a foot from his chest. He had to continue pulling on the 

 ropes in this way until by degrees the wooden pegs were 

 torn out. When he had succeeded in doing this, the medi- 

 cine men moistened the ends of their fingers with some herb 

 they were chewing, and applied them to the lacerated flesh, 

 completely staunching all effusion of blood. They then 

 turned the exhausted man over on his face and called for the 

 next novice. 



Sometimes, instead of breast-pins, shoulder-pins are 

 driven through the upper arm in line with the collar bone. 

 Another mode of torture is the fastening, by a similar pro- 

 cess, of a coi'd between the shoulder blades, to which is ap- 

 pended a buffalo head and horns. The buck is then made 

 to walk about the tent, dragging it on the ground behind 

 him. There are also various other refinements of cruelty 

 practised. They had just released a j'outh from the shoulder- 



