Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-09-26
SCALP DANCE.

How Utes Celebrate Their Victories.
Our reporter, says an exchange, went
over to the Ute camp, situated about
four miles from Denver, and about
three miles from 1arimer street bridge
over the Platte. Already preparations
had commenced for the grand scalp
glorifcation, one of the redskins hav-
ing manufactured a drum, by stretch
ing a deer-skin over the rim of q
cheese-box. Three other drums were
soon manufactured frying-pan, d tin
lard can and brass kettle being used
for the bodies of drums. Having cov-
cred his face with paint, the fellow with
the tin drum lay 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 gather
ed around, decorated with their best
trappings, covered with beads, and
painted with red, yellow, green, brown
and white. About an hour before sun
down, and before many chiefs had re-
turned from Denver, the lp-poles
were pulled up, and the dusky war
riors selected portion of the prairie
remote from any wigwam, 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 bloodAstained swaying
scalps, and commenced strange chant,
beating time upon the drums with
sticks, which had for heads leaves Sc
cured to one end with plant twigs.
About half an hour they thus sat chant
ing, when the squaws began to collect,
equally as extravagantly attired and
painted. About thirty had gathered
around, when the squaw of the brave
who had killed one of the Sioux stepped
in front, taking one of the scalp-poles,
and commenced to march in a 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 MAX
ing the magic circle. Then up comes
another squaw and takes another pole,
and starts a procession, moving in a
reverse 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 third procession, moving in
side the others and in the same direc-
tion as the outside circle. And now
drops into line with the outside circle
the third scalp-bearer and her follow
e1s. Korakantic, 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
advances to the front, and commences
to harangue the braves.
On the open prairie, just as the sun
is sinking bohind the mountains, half
hundred Indian warriors, with faces
rendered savagely fierce with paint,
and garments with flaming colors, are
standing in line which sways to and
fro in time to beating of drums and
the change in tone of the fendish music
of the scalp chant. In front of these
the veteran gray haired warrior of the
tribe dances with strange antics, and
| Ihn to1 AZ Og Sc
bent in all conceivable shapes, as he in
loud and excited words recounts the
circumstances of the capture and ex-
horts 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 revenge
full fury or held in their teeth, when
the savage grin is the most intense and
the chant most uproarious. Their
march is of imping 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 to
savages, when at regular intervals the
shrill voices of the women rise above
those of the men, and occasionally the
startling warwhoop rings loud over all
render the scene one never to be forgot.
ten. About 1900 persons must have
visited the camp and witnessed the
scalp-dance, which continued for many
hours, and to which Washington, il
the name of the tribe, welcomed al
white folks, "both braves and squaws,
as he expressed it.