Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-16

The next day was the best of all, for il
wssy the day they cut the Indians. They
commence at IL a. M, and the medicine men
make medicine for about an hour, then two
youne bucks advance to the pole with 1t In
a blanket, and deposit it at the pole.
Flint they have asdance called threading
down the grass" when about sixty Indians
enter the ring, about ten from each band.
They enter from the left, and run around in
full costume; that is. a breech-clout and
considerable paint, each one bearing arms.
They were led by an Indian bearing a
hooked stick, covered with otter skins.
There we're also about twenty Of them on
horses who brought up the rear, They form,
ed IN six lines and danced forward and
backward to the music. Of q base drum,
keeping in perfect order. They finally
passed the medicine pole and all Of them
discharged their guns into the air. Ater
thie the sun dance proper, commenced Al!
the dancels. advanced towardths center OF
the ring, bearing in their mouths goose quill
whistles, which they blew continuously. All
were naked. to the waist, from here they
wore q shawl. eirded about them.
The first Indian to be cut was Lean Wolf,
for whom they placed four stakes in the
ground, from which. dangled four ropes.
HS ad~yancedsinto the center and offered a
PRAYER. after which he was thrown on the
ground and two places cut in his breast,
through which they pushed small sticks.
The same separation was performed on his
back afterwhich't they placed him o his
feet and tied him to the ropes, and left him
to dance there until he could tear himself
loose. In the meantime all the rest were
dancing with their faces toward the sun.
The candidates start around the ring with
four men, and one of the Indians being
naked except his breechclout. They would
walk once around the ring and all face to.
ward the north, and raise their eyes and
hands toward heaven and offer up q. prayer,
while those behind sing, being led BY a
medicine man, who wears on his head a cap
made out of, fresh sage leaves. This Indian
walks in front of the three dancers and
blows his whistle, holding his hand over
them as though invoking the great spirit to
favor them with courage to bear the coming
trial. After this they were led up to the
medicine pole and thrown with their heads
against the pole, wher their breasts were cut
aud a stick, passed through the cut and
made fast to a rawhide thong tied to a rope
fastened TO the medicine pole, when an In
dian would grab him around the waist and
walk bin out until the rope was taut, and
then let him loose to dance there with hi:
face toward the sun until he can tear loose
Whenever they would attempt to tear loose
you could see a look Of settled determine
ton pass over their faces to keep from
showing pain. s One of The Indians, nance
Brave Bull, was pnt to the most severe ties
| of all. I1e was cut in two places in hi
breast and two buffalo heads suspended
from them -four cuts were made in his bacl
and four buffalo heads tied on them and al.
lowed ;to drag on the ground. He wen
around the ring twice before he succeeds
in pulling them out, and those ON his breas
had to be torn out. While he was goin
around the ring his path was covered wit
presents and he YVES given several horse
all of which he Immediately threw away
and they belonged to anybody who coul
get them. During this time great excite
ment prevailed. Some Of themtwere cut 8
deep they could not pull away. and an In
dian would place hit arms around him an
jerk. on him until he succeeded in tearip
him loose, some having 10 make sever.
efforts before succeeding. This lasted unit
6 o'clock. when they wound up With
grand feast.