234 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



sisted of dramatic representations of heroic adventures by single 

 individuals, and contests with the Crow and Sioux Indians by war- 

 parties. One chief borrowed several guns from his friends, and a 

 large number of Indian war implements and native trinkets. Stepping 

 forward that all the people might see him, amid profound silence, he 

 addi'essed the assemVjlage. Holding a gun aloft he told how in a 

 contest with an enemy, he had slain him and taken his gun. The 

 band of musicians beat on their tom-toms in token of applause. Each 

 article that he had, represented his vai-ious victories, and each had its 

 separate stoiy, which was narrated as the first, and the same routine 

 gone through. When he had finished, the whole assemblage joined 

 the musicians in applauding the speaker. Many wariiors during the 

 day related their brave deeds in the same mannei*. 



Sham fights were engaged in, which were I'epresentations of actual 

 battles. Five or six warriors appeared as Crow Indians and the same 

 or a less number were the Blood Indian warriors. A single hoi-se 

 represented that they had been on horseback, and this was decked in 

 its war-paint. One of the men, the hero of the battle, acted as instruc- 

 tor of the ceremonies to the others. Four times they entered the 

 lodge, and then the fight began. They fired their guns over the heads 

 of the people, the Crow Indians fell one by one, and when they had 

 been scalped amid the laughter and applause of the audience, the 

 scene was at an end. Berries cooked in fat were brought in by the 

 women in pails and pots, and for a short time eating, smoking and 

 conversation were the duties of the hour. Occasionally some old lady 

 would call out the name of a young man, and declare his noble 

 qualities before the people, and another would urge the young men to 

 emulate the heroic deeds of their fathers and go to war. 



Presents of bracelets, finger-rings and ear-rings were made to some 

 of the women. The chief warrior carried in his hand the sacred pipe, 

 which he first held aloft with the stem toward the Sun, that Natos 

 might have the first-fruits of everything, and still holding it, stem 

 toward the chiefs, each was allowed to take a smoke. The pipe was 

 beautifully ornamented, and was used only at the Sun-Dance. Some 

 of these pipes ai-e of great value, the one which I saw costing fifteen 

 of the best horses in the tribe, and these were used for hunting the 

 bufialo. The women have one important ceremony to jierform, namely: 

 the prepai'ation of the tongues. In former years when bufialo were 



