The Lincoln County herald., 1870-05-26
ChtLESreIs'S Corner.
THE SCALP DANCE.
BY EDWARD d. nEAToN.


sort Of dancing and beating on drums,
and self-torture, until her curiosity was
greatly excited. Her papa had been ia
miliar With Indians in former years, and
she resolved, when supper should be over,
10 ask him to relate some incident that
had happened within his knowledge.
Her mind was SO full Of this thought
that she could scarcely wait till she had
wiped tho dishes far her motbcs. How
ever, she did manage to endure the delay !;
but no sooner was the last article in the
cupboard than she seated herself by her
father and opened her mind.
"Papa, did you ever see the Indians
dance ?" said she.
Her little brothers, Will and Ernest,
we're wide awake at this question.
"Frequently," replied her father. III
once saw the famous scalp dance"
20, do tel! US about it" exclaimed the
three children in breath.
Ivory we'll since you all desire it, !
will try and recall the scene" replied the
father. Several companies Of soldiers
we're encampcd in the little valley Of
Powder river, which you can see on the
map there, busy at work building Fort
Reno, which had just been established
With MS we're hundred Pawnee warriors
"a tribe that has for years been the
ttanch friends Of the white man. We
were in this country for the purpose of
shastizing the Dacotahs, or Sioux, as they
are more generally called, who had for
many years been numbering emigrants
crossing the plains to the mining regions.
"Ono beautiful afternoon in August,
scout came in and reported fresh trail
Of the enemy not far from the fort. The
number Of horse tracks indicated the
party to be small, SO that General Conner,
who cor manded the troops, sent only the
Pawnees in pursuit. These Indians are
fine hor semen, and our red friends lef,
,amp at q furious galop, and in few
moments were lost to sight among the
trees skir,ing the river.
You may be sure We looked with anx
H,y for their return. However, We were
fain to be content until about noon of the
next day, wien we deserted two columns
Of smoke suddenly shoot up, long ways
down the stream. A couple Of old priests,
or, "medicine men. as the Indians cell
then, had remained 10 camp. These old
men said that the smoke was signal Of
success. Sure enough, they were correct /;
for, in couple Of hours more, We heard
= wild sound, half song, half yell, which
proceeded from the returning victorious
braves. 1t was the scalp song, and the
words were descriptive of the combat and
tho scalping of the dead. Soon the head
Of the column appeared. First came the
head chief, who was white man. then
his subordinate chiefs, two and two then
the warriors-those bearing the scalps
having the place Of honor"
"What is a scalp, papa?" asked Ernest.
"A scalp" replied his father, "is the
skin covering the crown of tho head the
. hair Of which all Indians suffer to grow
long, and is called the scalp-lock. When
the Indian Stays his enemy, he cuts of
the scalp, which is regarded as the most
precious trophy warrior can possess
The Pawnecs had ben successful. All
the Daeotahs, to the number of twenty
eight, had been Slaughtered and scafped.
The bloody locks wero suspended to long
sticks and borne aloft, the long, black
hair streaming in the wind like flags.
Upon reaching camp they formed &
circle, gave loud, prolonged and inde
scribable yell, and then the song ceased
The warriors dismouuted, and portion
Immediately began, preparations for .h'
tho dance, which was to take place tha
evening,
Being upon friendly terms with one o
The chiefs, received special invitation
to attend the dance, of which I gladl..
availed myself. When darkness had set
tied upon the valley, huge FIRE wa
built, around which the warriors forme
circle. Within this circle sat the chief
and medicine men, smoking their Ion
pipes. All had divestcd themselves {
the greater part of their clothing, an
painted their bodies in the most grotesqu
and hideous manner, Among the spoi
we're two drums, which were made b
stretching q piece of buffalo skin tghtl
over. wooden hoop. The scalps wei
held in prominent positions by their owl
=