Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-07-09

The Sun EHNce III OTC Tech.
A letter received at the Interior Department,
from DR.. T. Woodbridge, agency physician ct
Fort Peck agency, gives the following graphic
description Of The annual "Suu Dance OF the
Sioux natioa. which took place near Poplar
river, ia Montana Territory, about two weeks
ago: :.
| have lust witnessed tho srcat lndian tesIl'
val of the Sun Dance, or worship CT the
sun. Great preparations had been made Tor
it, and everything was on Inc grandest scale
The city of lodges vas moved, and the lnd!aps
ercsmped 90 beautiful PLAIN, encoslog nolt
low suuaro lsrge enough for the movements OF
thousands Of horsenec. 10 the centre the
great pavlIiou, or medicine lodge, was erected.
I5O feet 10 diameter, tho outside formed c!
small posts of green poplar aud willow. thlckly
interRoveu with greco brcucaes. Resting on
this. aud on q rude frame work within, Oil
around. tor the spac, OF a5ou; twenty iset, the
spacs was Covered With buffllo sklns, iormlnga
dress circle" with pisces assigned to the nu-
s;ciaus and actors. or dancers. 10 the c,ntro
was the great msdlclao pole, 30 teet high. lne
diameter lt The central space about lOo feell
was open to tho broad suoli2ht. OaIy men
occupied the dress circle, where they Wara
feaslcd duriog the rcrfOrm1tc> OF tWeot9 c!gnt
continuous hour, during whicn tIno about
forty dogs were Inundated aud eaten. bnsldss
large qaausilics OF buff meat, wild turo'p
heads and hot caullrous Of other catablas that
GRO namecSj.
The aulieuc1 vas composed OF aboui 5,0oo
Iodaos, Eu. a3 Ouly the men Occupied tne oifoe
within, the common people, Wou!o ada ooys
had to be satisfied with vic9Iug the peEl1rm-
apc,s through the wide cosranc., or through
tho intersto.s of tho leafy bairiers. All mad
on their holidsy attire. The dresses OF some OF
the chiefs aud those aetinr as directors or pF'os's
were gorgeous. T.
When all vas prepared, amid the waving OF
banners. music aod loud shouting CT the assem-
bled throog, over fifty braves catered. esch an
Apollo, painted and n.kcd TO the waist, tX'ept
o proEusion OF ornaments, with head dresses OF
beautiful feathers, tteis gloss7 half reacnlng
down TO their lower garments, which were mes!
beautifully and a,tistlcally arranged. Elcn
carried 10 his ha1d an ornaneuted Nhlato MADE
from the bono OF 40 eagle wloS. Wnloh was
blown shrilIy duriog the dancing; also oou
nuet couposcd mostly OF wild sago. Iheir
aonearnucr aud reception wtra grand and I'M
posing.
The 6rst afternoon performance would have
beeo called wonderful tor display OF herol5m.
and mower to oudure and suffer. Many had
from ffty TO two hundred pieces cut out OF mo
living fash, from their arms and baca' Inc
daoco was kept up ell night with unabaled ler'
yor, every Performance, having something new
and startling.
But in the morning torture rel3aad supreme
men dancng with Two, thrco and ioue par
falo heads suspended from holes cu' in tneir
flesh. Oae Iodiau dragged on tho Rrouoo
eight buffalo heads fastened to the ileao OF his
back, and in tho STOPPING posture nc vas
fore al to assume they had lacsrsted or torn
and on, in tbe back to the 1tcnt otthrs,inches.
Others were bold with fout different corts-tWoin IN
the brosst anatwo in the back-ta'!ened to four
stakes. and still others fastened TO the centrs
uolo BY tho breast and lack. some IN aGuiIi9n
to the attachment OF the breast, hs1 pun iIo
head; suspended from the back, and would 20
se'z,d by tho hanging heads and jorkod unI,
YOU would think their life would oa loIt5lteo;
Others 1nsdc frantic efforts to broak loose, sha
often ! noticed the ia:egument 10 DO sttetcEeu r
| three or four inches from tho BODY. Sono ia.l
din of music and weird aong5 made otit poI
fact naodenonium The dancers neither took
| food, sloep cor wa.or durirg the te:tVai' inel,
! dancing, their inVocstlons ana tnelr p'ayeis
wore fervent. They laid thor isces on ths ou.'
faIo heads whilo praying for SUCCESS IN nunling,
and tbe priest wept and asked the Grca. bpiAt
tn ,;ye then, success in the chase. end lie: tnem
| have food for their wives and childre1i a!so "
] giye them plenty Of horsol 70 prosper men, and
| Eelp them 10 aubduo their enemies. tno so'
wss carefully removed in spo. tour ieat so ast9;
| and within a white cr0ss wss made Ihia - ~
ihey know, and, with no teacher bu. nsiure, We
! n,nst iudoe them charitsbly. Their hoerality
| wos nm bcu nd sd-oyer two hundred nor1es ~ete
given away, besides great quan!!les ol o'he' a'"
ticles. -.-
! ta~W1DE AwAKEl New SPRING STYLES
! HooTs AND SnoEs.-Tha lsIGea:, be:! selected
sud chespest stock Of boots sDd shooa ever oio'
| ed in this market.
Everv man ought to consider whore hs can
| get tho most valuo for his money. Z penny
saved, is penny earned. All we ask our lrienos
and patrons is TO favor us with call, and con-
! v;nco themselves of the fac! that To can mee'
tho demands Of ell.
| We are resolved to .o.l ou. goods 81 60 small
& pref. that the peep!e must buy.
| Thereby enabling us 70 keep our ssock Away
aensonab!e
fsilurc 10 exsnino our stock is an cpporIu
nifty .ost. .,
We can mako i! to your inteIes. to trade witt
Our goods are bought from ar.. hnlds-sArin'
| double prof. and giving our cutofneF' 'H'
benefit ua, Mi. earo-
taoo 10 examine our stock from which equally
Uood selections can be made at prices that vii
compsre fayorsbly with those OF the nortnerf
cities.
Ladies Pebble Goat Ba!ton Boots, 81 25 10 3 y
French Kid 70 70 4 "
Lasting Foxed /" 13 to3 Y
IS to &
1 ctu U