152 TRADITIONS OF THE ARIKARA. 
The men were afraid to enter the place. Among them was one 
young man who cared for nothing. He was dared to go into the den. 
The young man stepped forward and said: “Men, follow me. If he 
kills me you will get to see what the thing is.” So the boy led the 
way into the cave and there sat in the cave a man, who was crying. 
He was dressed in coyote skins. His head was tied with a piece of 
white sheeting. The cave smelt very good, for there was wild sage 
spread all over the cave. There was also sitting in the lodge a buffalo 
skull. The men now agreed to talk to the Scalped-Man and to ask him’ 
to help their war-party to be successful. 
63. THE DEAD MAN’S COUNTRY.* 
Six or seven years ago I was out upon the hills after my ponies. 
On my way back towards the camp I fainted, and lay upon the ground 
for along time. Finally I felt better. I rose and walked towards home. 
I entered my tipi and lay down, and when I lay down I died. 
As soon as I had died I saw a path leading east. There seemed to 
be a kind of inclosure. There was a little hole. I looked in that hole and 
saw lots of people in the village. I wanted to see the people and get 
acquainted with them. I went through this little hole. When I had 
gone through the hole I was in the dead man’s country. Before I 
entered the village a man with a robe and anointed with red ointment 
came in, and said: “Young man, you must not go into this village. 
Go on, and at the south side of the entrance you will see a lodge where 
you will stop. You must not enter that lodge, for it is the lodge of the 
dead people.” I went to the lodge, and I saw many people looking 
in. I stood on the south side of the entrance to the lodge. I saw that 
whenever a person who had died came, he entered inside the lodge 
and took his seat among the people in the lodge. The ground all over 
the lodge was covered with white clay, and it looked like ashes. There 
were many people in the lodge. I looked, and there the drums were 
resting in the east. The drums were black. The men were painted 
red. ‘As they began to sing one old man came and stood out; then 
another man, younger than the first; then another, younger than 
the second; then another, until there were seven who came in this 
fashion. The last one to come was a little boy, whom they were about 
to paint. Now the drummers began to sing in a low voice. The 
dancers had dried willow sticks, which were representatives of their rela- 
tives who were still living upon earth. Each of the men was calling his 
*Told by White-Owl, 
