INTRODUCTION. iv 
priests of certain ceremonies, one of their number being known as the 
“crier,’ or “announcer.” From the remaining inhabitants of the vil- 
lage were selected one or more known as “servants.” ‘Their duty was 
to do the bidding of the chiefs and of the medicine-men, especially in 
time of ceremonies. After years of apprenticeship they became medi- 
cine-men. Of the remaining inhabitants of the village the basis of rank 
was that of prowess in war, and wealth. 
Although manifesting almost from the beginning a friendly dis- 
position towards the whites the Wichita have never been accused of 
cowardice, and in spite of their small numbers, were probably as suc- 
cessful warriors as any of the Plains tribes. As is so often illustrated 
in the tales, the time and nature of the war-party was determined by 
some one who desired to lead an expedition, at which time he would 
invite his friends to his lodge, tell them his plans, and select a head 
leader and two second leaders, the latter serving as spies or scouts, 
while on the journey. 
The chief object of war expeditions was the taking of scalps and 
the capturing of women to be used as slaves. The hereditary enemies 
of the Wichita were the Apache, Osage, and Tonkawa. These three 
tribes, in the order named, were considered the bravest of all their foes, 
and as a consequence, the taking of a scalp of an individual from one 
of these tribes was looked upon as a high honor. The Wichita had 
the usual grades of showing prowess in war; such were counting coup, 
stabbing, scalping, and killing. Their war records were usually de- 
picted in detail on the robe, or the more salient features of the record 
might be indicated on the tipi. The significance of the marks describ- 
ing these war records was always supposed to be known by the other 
watriors of the tribe, and when an individual misrepresented his rec- 
ord, either on his robe or on his tipi, he was at once proclaimed a liar 
throughout the camp, and his robe or tipi might be destroyed. It was 
also the custom of warriors to proclaim their prowess by contests in 
the lodges during the long winter evenings, when war tales exclusively 
were told. The return of a victorious war-party was always the occa- 
sion for great rejoicing in the village, the news being transmitted by the 
signs made by the leader of the party as he arrived at a certain high 
hill overlooking the village, which was always set apart for this pur- 
pose. Then followed days and nights occupied with scalp and victory 
dances. 
Often before birth, a name was selected for the forthcoming child. 
This name might be due to some dream of its mother or some relative, 
the sex of the child being revealed at the same time, and the name would 
