1884.] An account of the War Customs of the Osages. 125 
the Hañka side, and one by a member of the Lock-wearer gens 
for the Cheezhoo mourner. 
They dance as on the preceding days. The Hafka mourner 
tells the Cheezhoo that on the morrow they will take the first step. 
On the fourth day the Cheezhoo men lead in every rite, as 
they did on the second day. Two narrow strips of buffalo hide 
are prepared by an old woman of a Buffalo gens on the Hañka 
side of the circle. These strips are placed side by side on the 
ground, and about two feet apart. The Cheezhoo men place 
their left feet on the rear one, and their right feet on the front one. 
The Hafika men have their right feet on the rear one and advance 
with their left feet on the front one. This is the first step taken ` 
on the war path. | 
The warriors now mount their horses, forming in two columns, ` 
in each of which they go two abreast, The standard-bearers ride 
in advance. The Cheezhoo column goes once around the vil- 
lage, in the usual course from: the west to the north, thence by 
the east and south to the west again. The Hañka column pro- 
ceeds in the opposite direction. They approach one another 
again at the west, and depart westward in parallel columns (Fig. 
7). Their course on the war path is 
_ Supposed to be towards the west. & 4) R 4 
When they have gone a certain dis- ° z 
+ 
tance from the village a member of * T 3 2 
the Dhu-khe sub-gens of the Buffalo * . y 5 
bull gens is taken to the front, where e . + G 
€ performs a rite. At its conclusion ` v í + 
the march is resumed, and they con- 5 
. R b 
tinue on their journey for about four 5 : 
ys, at the end of which period a ¢ . , 7 
Small tent is erected for each captain i : K ;: 
r mourner, the door facing the west. 
Each eagle is removed from the sa- +, š S é 
cred bag and placed on top of the 
Small tent (on its proper side), facing 
the west. Each captain goes through + ‘ "i ¿ó 
his tent from east to west, knocking “ : 
ue tent, and causing the eagle 'F IG, + kien of march towards 
to fall to the ground. The eagle is re- home. 
Stored to its bag. Then all the warriors except the captains, 
e 
E3 e + 
