Connecticut western news., 1874-08-28
SCALP DANCE.
How the Utes Celebrate their Victories.

How the Utes Celebrate their Victories
 Says the Cincinnati Times Our re. porter went over to the Ute 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 qualification, one of the redskins having manufactured dlum by stretching 0 deerskin over the rim of cheese box. Three other drums were soon manufactured frying pan, a. tn lard can, and brass kettle being used for the bodies of the drums. Having covered 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 scalps taken from the Sioux were brought to the front of the tent, and poles to which they were attached sunk to and fro in the breeze. One by one the braves gathered around, decorated with their best trappings, covered with green, brown, and white. About an
 
 chiefs had returned from Denver, the soalp-poles were pulled up, and the dusky warriors selected portion of the prairie remote from any wigwam, where they again fixed the poles about four 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 pliant twigs. About half-hour they thus sat chanting, when the squaws began to collect, equally as extrava9antly 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 poles, aud commenced to march in 8 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 circle.
 takes another pole, and starts process
 
 that taken by the first. Upon the ar rival 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 pre- oessien, moving inside the others, and in the same direction a3 the outside circle. And now drops into line with the outside circle the third scalp-bearer
 
 ingly 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 behind the mountains, half hundred Indian warriors, with faces rendered savagely fierce with paint, and garments of flaming colors, are standing in line which sways to and fro in time ts beating of drums and the changing tone of the fiendish 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 conceivable shapes, as he in loud and excited words recounts the circum- stances 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 revengeful fury or held in their teeth, when the savage grin is most intense and the chant most uproarious. Their march is of limp ing 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 voices of the women rise above those of the men, and occasionally the startling war-whoop rings loud over all, render the scene one never to be forgotten.
 About ], ,500 persons must have visited the camp and witnessed the scalp dance, which continued for many houls, and to which Washington, in the name of the tribe, welcomed all white folks, "both braves and squaws," as he ex- pressed it.