MAN WHO RESCUED HIS WIFE FROM SPIRIT-LAND. 309 
back to go after his wife, having told his people that he had his wife 
back and that he had been for several days amongst the dead people. 
So they went on home, and reached the young man’s lodge. The very 
next day he got up a war-party, to be sent out by himself. Before start- 
ing out they took a piece of rawhide, in the place of a drum, and sang 
the war-party songs that we to-day still use. It was not very long be- 
fore the young man met some of his enemies, whom he killed and 
scalped. On his return he brought a scalp. The rest of the war-party 
also had scalps.- On their return they entered the village victorious.’ 
It being the custom to dance when a war-party returned they had all 
kinds of dances that night, and some dances in the daytime. So the 
young man had an easy time sending out war-parties, because he had 
aid from the dead people. It was customary in those times with a 
good many to dance with the ‘husbands or wives of others instead of 
their own ‘husbands or wives, and then to remain parted. Another war- 
party would be sent out, and on its return others would become hus- 
bands and wives. When the young man returned from his journey 
he, of course, in order that he might remain with his wife, avoided other 
women for a while. When the dances ceased, the young man again 
called forth this men, and when the men came together he announced 
to them that he wanted to go out on the war-path again. A good many 
wanted to accompany ‘him on the war-path again; for they knew that 
he had some power by which they could easily win their battle, as long 
as he was with them. That night he ordered a man to get a rawhide, 
and sticks with which to beat it. They at once began to sing the war 
songs, and all those men who were present at the singing were to go on 
the war-party, this being the general rule among the men. 
On the next morning the young man started off with his men. 
They were gone for about a month, when they found some of their 
enemies. The young man had foretold that they would find some of 
their enemies in a few days. According to custom, when they stopped 
for a night’s rest they smoked. First, the chief man, called the Head- 
Warrior (Tahadez), then his two other men, called Second-leading- 
warrior (Neeskaa), would pass the pipe around for his men to smoke. 
The young man had a war bundle, given him by his wife’s dead rela- 
tives. That is how he came to know so much about what he was to 
meet, and if ‘he were safe or in danger. So when they met their enemies 
the battle was easily won, and they scalped ‘their enemies. They then 
returned to their homes, and on their arrival the people praised them 
for their victory. At night they again commenced their victory dances, 
continuing to dance all night. The next day, the young man did as he 
