The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-07-26
WESTMINSTER MD THURSDAY JULY 26, 1866
The sioux SUN Dance Barba-
riOus and Horrible Rites.

rious and Horrible Rites.
Major General Curtis in letter thus
describes this sickening procedure.
FoRT SULI.Y, june 2, 1866.
"I'hc whole of the three thousand
Sioux camped about us gave me early
information Of their design TO have their
annual sun daucc at this time and place,
the season Of the year, the trees in full
leaf, having now arrived; and they
wished me to inform Colonel Rccor, the
commander of the soldiers, that however
boistcrous their demonstrations might
be, they would all be pcaccablc and of a
pious character,
'On yesterday June /, the dancing
was delayed at intervals to allow tor
tnrcs to be inflicted. Two or three men
stood over the deyotee with needle aud
knife, very quietly performing pcnancc
according TO the customs Of all these
sacerdotal rites as follows:
"first, they cut the arms in several
places by striking an awl in the skin,
raising it and cutting out about half an
inch. This is done on both arms, and
sometimes on the lrcast and back -
Thcn wooden sctons (sticks about the
thickness Of a common lead -pcnciD are
inserted through hole 10 the skin and
flesh Then chords or ropes are at
taehed to these sticks by one end, and
to Tue pole at the other end, the victim
pulling on the ropes till tbc seton sticks
tear cut the Acsh and skin saw one
with two sctons thus attached to his
breast, pulling till It seemed to draw the
skin out three inches, and literally re-
quiriup nearly his whole might to tear
ou. the seton Que painted black had
four ropes attached At once The pull.
ing cut IS done in the dance, the pulling
carried on in the time Of the music BY
jerk jerk, jerk, aud the eye, head aud
trout nll flciog the sun in the form Of
supplication One had four sotous at
tsahcd 10 four dry buffalo head bouos -
These were al strung aud suspended to
bis Gcsh by ropes tha, raised each head
some three feet oil the ground lie
danced hard to tear them out, bat tlny
would not break tbo skin One came
% the stick accidentally, bat j; was
again fastened. Finally these heavy
weights each atlcast twenty ,fyo pounds
wcishtJ not tearing Jut by their osn
weight and motion the deyoice gave a
comrado a horse 10 take hold Of the rope
and ,car out the sctons. While these
men were being thus tortured their 70
male relations came in and had pieces
cut out Of their arms, to show their ap-
probation aud yaloy, aud devotion to
their kiusman. Still, rs soon as the
victim could bc prepared, the music WIZ
renewed aud the dismal dance went on;
the victims bodies now manglsd with
blood. paint and sctons.
There being several steamboats, aud
many soldiers here, great crowd Of
spectators rather embarrassed the per-
formers, SO they concluded the pcrior-
nance at twelve O'Clock having Only
danced twenty four hours instead Of
forty-cight, as they usually do. All the
dcyotccs gave away all their ponies aud
other valuablcs 70 their friends, had
their wounds carefully dressed by at
tcndaut medicine mon, aud sat down to
an abundant feast Of dog soup aud buff
falo meat.
$50 ended the most barbarous and
painful exhibition Of savage idolatry.
The picture is still deeply impressed on
my senses, but cannot give half the
horror of the scene either by pen or
pencil"