FIFTH REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 1908 



73 



her utmost chagrin, discovers that her own skirt string has been 

 cut and that she is covered only by her undergarments. Immedi- 

 ately she stops laughing and never afterwards doubts the powers 

 of the medicine man, who when he cut the doll's skirt string by 

 his magic power cuts hers also by magic. 



The Ie''dos Company may be regarded as the first degree of 

 the Secret Medicine Lodge ; Little Water Company being known 

 with the Dark dancers of the Pygmy Society as the Ho-no'-tci- 

 no v -ga. This information was given by Chief Edward Cornplanter. 



De-gr'-ya'-go n O-'d-no, Buffalo Society 



1 The ritual of this society consists of a number of songs which 

 relate the story of its origin. 



2 After a Buffalo ceremony each member carries away a portion 

 of Buffalo pudding. (For receipt see " Corn and other vegetable 

 foods of the Senecas.") 1 



De-wa-non-diis'-son-daik-to' . Pygmy Society {the Dark dance 



ceremony) 



1 The ritual of this ceremony consists of 102 songs divided into 

 four sections as follows: the first section, 15 songs ; .the second, 

 23 songs ; the third, 30 songs ; and the fourth, 34 songs. 



2 The wet drum and horn rattle are used during this ceremony 

 for keeping time. 



3 The Dark dance is designed to propitiate certain spirits and to 

 secure the beneficent offices of others, thus the ceremony is per- 

 formed for appeasing the spirits of a charm that has become im- 

 potent or one which is feared, such as flying head's hair or ni-a' f - 

 gwa-he'-s tooth. 



This ceremony also pleases the elves and secures their good will 

 ("It is the. religion of the Jo-ga'-o n ." Sainowa.) People who live 

 near the reputed haunts of elves often order a Dark dance to cure 

 certain ills that are thought to be punishments. 



In order of importance the following " charms " are " members " 

 of the society and are called Ho-tci-ne' ga-dah, Invisible aids. 



1 Jo-ga'-o n -~ pygmies 



2 Jo-di"-gwa-do"=great horned serpent 



3 Shon-do-wek-o-wa=blue panther 



4 De-wut-yo-wa-is— " explosive bird, like wren, explodes from 



hollow in tree." ( Mythical) 



1 Bulletin in preparation. 



