The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-07-24
The SiUX Sun Dance.
pARBAnous AND moRRrntR RITES.

Major General Curtis, in n lcttcr. thus de-
| soribes this aickcning procedures
"FoRT SGLLY, June 2, lS6G.-The whole
| Of the three thousand Sioux camped about
US gave nc early Information Of their de-
| s'gn TO have their annual sun dance at this
lime and place. the season Of the year, the
| trees infut leaf, having now arrived; and
they wished me TO inform Col. Rector, the
! commander of tho soldiers. that however
| bislrous their demonstrations might be-
they would NIL be pcaceablc and OF pious
character.
"On yesterday. June |, the dancing wag
delayed at Intervals 10 allow tortuccs to hc
, inflicted. Two Ur three men stood over the
devoree with needle and knife, very quietly
performing pcnance according to sthe Gus
toms OF ali these saccrdotal rites as follows:
First, they cut the arm in several places
by striking an awl in the skin, raising it
and cutting ont about an inch. This is
done on both arms, and sometimes on the
the breast and back. The wooden Scatons
(sticks about the thickness cf n common
| lead pcncil) are inserted through a hole in
the skin and flesh Then cords or ropes
are attached to these sticks Ivy one end. and
| to the pole Mt the other end, the victms
pulling on the ropes till the sctcn sticks
tear out the flesh and skin. | saw enc with
two sotons thus attached to his breast pull
ling till Il seemed to dvaw the skin out three
inches; and literally requiring nearly his
whole strength to tear out the seton. On G
painted black had four ropes attached at
once. The pulling out is done in the dance.
the pulling carried on in the time of the
music by jerk. jerk. jerk, and the eye
head and front all facing The sun in the
form of supplication, One had four se,ons
attached to four dry buffalo head bones.
'Thcse were all strung and suspended to
his flesh by ropes that raised each head
some three feet Off the ground lie danced
hard to tear them out, but they would not
break the skin. One came of the stick ac
ciden,nliy, but was again fastened. Final
ly these heavy weights (cach at least TWEEN,
ty-five pounds weight.) not tearing out by
their own weight and motion. the dcrotee
gave n comrade n horse to take hold of the
rope md tear out The selons. While these
men were being thus ,orturad, THOR fa- ale
relations came in and had pieces cut out of
their arms to show heir devotion to their
knsmcn. Still as soon rs the victim could
be prepared, the music was renewed, and
the dismal dance went on, the victims
| body now mingled with blood, paint and
| setons.
There being several steamboats, and
many soldiers here, u great crowd Of spec
tators rather embarrassed the performers.
so they concluded the performance at 12
o'clock, having only danced twenty four
hours instead of forty eight, as they usual.
ly do. All the devotees gave away and
other valuables TO their friends, had their
wounds carefully dressed by attendant me-
dicire men, and sat down to an abundant
feast of dog soup and buffalo meat.
so ended this most barbarons and pain
fGl exhibition Of savage idolatry. The pic
ture Is still deeply impressed on my sanses
but cannot give half the horror Of the
scons. either hy Pen or pencil y