Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-08-03
SCALP DANCE.
How the Utes Celebrate their Vte-
tories.

Denver Times. July 49,
About three o'clock yesterday after
noon our reporter went over to the camp,
situated about four miles from Denver,
and about three miles from the Larimer
street bridge over the Platte. Already
preparations had commenced for the
grand scalp glori6cation, one of the red
skins having manufactured drum by
stretching deer-skin over the rim of
cheese-box. Three other drums were
soon manufactured; frying pan, tin
lard can, and brass kettle being used
for the bodies of the drums. Having COW
cred his face with paint, the fellow with
the tin drum laid down in his tent and
commenced practicing the weird music
of the scalp dance. He was soon Joined
by others, when the scalps taken from
the Sioux were brought to the front of
the tent, and poles, to which they were
attached, stuck in the ground, while the
scalps swayed to and fro in the breeze.
One by one the braves gathered around,
decorated with their best trappings,
covered with beads, and painted with
red, yellow, green, brown and white
About an hour before sundown, and be-
yer, the scalp poles were pulled up, and
the dusky warriors selected portion OF
the prairie remote from any wlgwam,
where they again fixed the poles about
four feet from each other. Then they
sat down in line on the ground with
their backs to the setting sun and their
faces to the blood-stained swaying scalps,
and commenced strange chant, beat
ing time upon the drums with sticks,
which had for heads leaves secured to
one end with plant twigs. About half
hour they thus sat chanting, when the
suuaws began to collect, equally eXtrav-
agantly attired and painted.
About thirty had gathered around,
when the squaw of the brave who had
killed one of the Sioux stepped in front,
took one of the scalp-poles and COM
mencen to march in circle in front of
the musicians, adding at the same time
the shrillness of her voice to make the
din unearthly. One by one the squaws
fell in behind the scalp bearer, until
about dozen were making the magic
circles
Then up comes another squaw and
takes another pole, and starts process
sion, moving in reversed direction to
that taken by the first. Upon the arrival
of Washington, one of the chiefs, who
seemed to know just how the thing should
be done, three of the Oldest squaws in
the tribe formed a third procession,
moving inside the others, and in the
same direction as the outside circle.
And now drops into line with the outside
circle the third scalp bearer and follow
ers. Korakantie, seemingly the Oldest
chief in the collection, advances in front
of the braves-who arose to their feet
upon the advent of the women-and
proceeds to dance. A crier also ad-
yanees to the front aud commences to
harangue the braves.
On the open prairie, just as the sun is
sinking behind the mountains, halt q
hundred Indian warriors, with faces
rendered savagely fierce with paint, aud
garments of flaming colors, are standing
in line, which sways to and fro Ia time
TO beating of drums and the change of
tone of the 6endish music Of the scalp
chant In front of these the veteran
gray-haired warrior of the tribe dances
with strange antics, and the stalwart
form of huge brave is bent in all con
ceivable shapes, as he in loud and excited
words recounts the circumstances of the
CAPTURE and exhorts the men. In front
of all, the magic circles of squaws move
round, the scalps streaming above their
heads, being beaten in the dust with re-
veneeful fury, or held in their teeth.
when the savage grin is most intense and
chant most uproarioSs. Their march is
of a limping nature, each procession
giving way with the same leg, in strange
unison to the swaying of the braves.
These things, together with the weird
music only known among savages, when
at regular intervals the shrill voice OF
the women rises above those of the men,
and occasionally the startling war
whoops rings loud over all, render the
scene one never to be forgotten.
About fifteen hundred persons must
have visited the camp ana Witnessed tie
scalp dance, which continued for many
hours, and to which Washington, in the
name of the tribe, welcomed all white
folks, both braves and squaws, as he
expressed it.