1 56 Expedition to the 



no trifling compliment paid to the well known brave. It in- 

 dicated that he had still so many glorious acts to speak of, 

 that he would occupy so much time as to prevent others 

 from speaking, and put to shame the other warriors by the 

 contrast of his actions with theirs. 



Their physical action in dancing is principally confined to 

 leaping a small distance from the ground with both feet, the 

 body being slightly inclined, and upon alighting, an addition- 

 al slight but sudden inclination of the body is made, so as 

 to appear like a succession of jerks ; or the feet are raised 

 alternately, the motions of the body being the same. Such 

 are the movements, in which the whole party correspond ; 

 but in the figures, as they are termed in our assembly rooms, 

 each individual performs a separate part, and each part is a 

 significant pantomimic narrative. In all their variety of ac- 

 tion they are careful to observe the musical cadences. In this 

 dance Ietan represented one, who was in the act of stealing 

 horses. He carried a whip in his hand, as did a considera- 

 ble number of the Indians, and around his neck were thrown 

 several leathern thongs, for bridles and halters, the ends of 

 which trailed upon the ground behind him ; after many pre- 

 paratory manoeuvres, he stoope ' down and with his knife 

 represented the act of cutting the hopples of horses ; he then 

 rode his tomahawk, as children ride their broomsticks, mak- 

 ing such use of his whip as to indicate the necessity of rapid 

 movement lest his foes should overtake him. Wa-sa-ba-jing- 

 ga or Little black Bear, after a variety of „ gestures, threw 

 several arrows, in succession, over his head, thereby indicat- 

 ing his familiarity with the flight of such missiles ; he at the 

 same time covered his eyes with his hand to indicate that he 

 was blind to danger. Others represented their manoeuvres 

 in battle, seeking their enemy, discharging at him their guns 

 or arrows, &c. &c. Most of the dancers were the principal 

 warriors of the nation, men who had not condescended to 

 amuse themselves or others, in this manner, for years before; 



