THE GEOEGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 355 



ing in another's tracks) all the young men who were candidates for the self-tortures 

 which were to be inflicted, and for the honors that were to be bestowed by the chiefs 

 on those who could most manfully endure them. There were on this occasion about 

 fifty young men who entered the lists, and as they went into the sacred lodge, each 

 one's body was chiefly naked and covered with clay of different colors; some were 

 red, others were yellow, and some were covered with white clay, giving them the 

 appearance of white men. Each one of them carried in his right hand his medicine- 

 bag, on the left arm his shield of the bull's hide, in his left hand his bow and arrows, 

 with his quiver slung on his back. 



THE CEREMONIES OF THE DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST OR ONLY MAN — IN THE LODGE 



(NO. 504). 



When all had entered the lodge they placed themselves in reclining postures around 

 its sides, and each one had suspended over his head his respective weapons and med- 

 icine, presenting altogether, one of the most wild and picturesque scenes imaginable. 



Xu-mohlc-muck-a-nah (the first or only man) was in the midst of them, and having 

 Jit and smoked his medicine-pipe for their success, and having addressed them in a 

 short speech, stimulating and encouraging them to trust to the Great Spirit for His 

 protection during the severe ordeal they were about to pass through, he called into 

 the lodge an old medicine or mystery man, whose body was painted yellow, and whom 

 he appointed master of ceremonies during this occasion, whom they denominated in 

 their language O-lcec-pah Ka-se-lah (keeper or conductor of the ceremonies). He was 

 appointed, and the authority passed by the presentation of the medicine-pipe, on 

 which they consider hangs all the power of holding and conducting all these rites. 



After this delegated authority had thus passed over to the medicine-man, Nu-mohk- 

 muck-a-nah shook hands with him and bade him good bye, saying " that he was going 

 back to the mountains in the west, from whence he should assuredly return in just a 

 year from that time to open the lodge again." He then went out of the lodge, and 

 passing through the village, took formal leave of the chiefs in the same manner, and 

 soon disappeared over the bluffs from whence he came. No more was seen of this 

 surprising character during the occasion, but I shall have something yet to say of him 

 and his strange office before I get through the letter. 



THE MEDICINE-MAN ON GUARD OVER THE BRAVES TO BE TORTURED. 



To return to the lodge — the medicine or mystery man just appointed, and who had 

 received his injunctions from Nu-mohk-muck-a-ndh, was left sole conductor and keeper; 

 and according to those injunctions it was his duty to lie by a small fire in the center 

 of the lodge, with his medicine-pipe in his hand, crying to the Great Spirit inces- 

 santly, watching the young men, and preventing entirely their escape from the lodge 

 and all communication whatever with people outside, for the space of four days and 

 nights, during which time they were not allowed to eat, or drink, or to sleep, pre- 

 paratory to the excruciating self-tortures which they were to endure on the fourth 

 day. 



I mentioned that I had made four paintings of these strange scenes, and the first 

 one exhibits the interior of the medicine-lodge at this moment ; with the young men 

 all reclining around its sides, and the conductor or mystery-man lying by the fire cry- 

 ing to the Great Spirit. It was just at this juncture that I was ushered into this 

 sacred temple of their worship with 1 my companions, which was, undoubtedly, the 

 first time that their devotions had ever been trespassed upon by the presence of pale 

 faces, and in this instance had been brought about in the following strange and un- 

 expected manner : 



THE REASON MR. CATLIN WAS ADMITTED TO THE LODGE. 



I had most luckily for myself painted a full-length portrait of this great magician 

 or high priest but a day previous to the commencement of the ceremonies (in which I 



