Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-08-26
SCALP DANCE.
How Utes Celebrate their Victories.


Yesterday afternoon, says the Gin
cinnati Times of July 27, our reporter
went over to the Ute camp, situated
about four miles from Denver, and
about three miles from Larimer Street
bridge over the Platte. Already prep
erat1ons had commenced for the grand
calp-gloritication, one of the redskins
having manufactured @ drum by
stretching a deer-skin lover the ram of
a cheese-box. Three other drums were
soon manufactured; a frying-pan, a
tin lard can and brass Kettle being
used for the bodies of drums. Having
covered 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 i'll 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 shutdown, and before manv
chiefs had returned from Denver, the
scalp-poles were pulled up, and the
dusky warriors selected a portion of
the prairie remote from any wigwam,
where they again fixed the poles about
four feet from each other. Then thew
sat down in a line on the ground, with
their backs to the setting sun and their
faces to the lood-stained swayin g
scalps, and commenced strange
chant, beating time upon the drums
with sticks, which had for heads leaves
secured to one end with plant twigs.
About half an hour they thus sat
chanting, when the squaws began to
collect, equally as extravagantly attired
and painted. About thirty had gath
cred around, when the squaw of the
brave who had killed one of the Sioux
stepped IN front, took 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
making the magic circle. Then up
comes another squaw and takes an
other pole, and starts a procession,
moving III 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 a third
procession, moving inside the Others
and In the same direction as the out
side circle. And now drops into line
with the outside circle the third scalp
bearer and her followers. Korakantic,
seemingly the Oldest chief in the col
lection, advances in front of the braves
who arose to their feet upon the
advent of the wonderland 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 a 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 the stalwart form of huge brave
is bent in all conceivable shapes, as he
III loud and excited words recounts the
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
ful fury or held in their teeth, when
the savage grin is the most intense and
the chant most uproarious. Their
march is of a limping nature, each
procession giving way with the same
leg, III strange unison to the swaying
OF the braves. These things together
with the weird music only known TO
saYages, when at regular intervals the
shrlll 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 for
gotten. About 1900 persons must
have visited the camp and witnessed
the scalp-dance, which continued for
many hours, and to which Washington,
IN the name Of the tribe, welcomed ali
white folks, "both braves and squaws,"
as he expressed it.