The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-07-04

each OF these holes was at Oncs inserted
q heavy lsaden ring. None but braves
are permitted to mutilate the babes |;
and, before beginning, each would adj
dress the people, telling of his deeds of
proves; how here he had killed a
Crow, there a Pawnee, here q white,
and again he had "counted coup" on
a white or Gro Ventre-six coups, or
blows, counting a death; while one old
fellow, painted all over jet black, told
how he had killed three Mah-Sappa "
(Black Hills) men. Your correspond
ent trembled q little as he imagined that
savage hungry eyes were directed to-
wards him as convenient victim; and
| thought that perhaps the Tribune might
not receive this letter. -.
HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN
were thus mutilated. One little sufferer
of about 5 years, on being released,
pressed his hands to his bleeding ears,
and dashed away, scampering through
frightened pony-herd, and, amid the
shouts of the multitude of assembled
youngsters, few away over the prairie.
Thus this, the first day, passed away.
The dancers rested at night, and re-
sumed the dance at sunrise next morn
ing; and, as the sun approached its
mer dian height, the preparations for
the more interesting ceremonies were
made. As the sun reached its highest
point, one of the ashen-hued dancers
advanced to the pole, and, with hands
and eyes toward the burning sun, utter
ed fervent and impressive prayer.
This prayer was Interpreted to me by
Mr.. Charley Provost, the gentlemanly
and obliging Agency interpreter, and
was perhaps the first prayer of like pur-
port ever delivered by q young warrior.
He asked that the Great Spirit would
give him strength and courage to bear
the ordeal through ne was about to pass;
that the Indians might be free of plague
and bad luck that they might increase
in wisdom and in numbers; that they
might live at peace with their pale
faced brethren, and might learn their
ways that the buffalo might return, and
the pony-herd grow larger until they
would hide the green grass and the beau
tiful flowers by their great numbers.
And thus, through it all, was breathed
Allowing, TENDER SPIRIT,
widely at variance with the usual incli-
nations of the young men. The solemn,
utter silence with which this invocation
was received; the fervent earnestness
of the supplicant; the extended arms;
the parched, cracked lips, past which
food or water had not been during 60
hours; the evident suffering-all made a
scene of the very deepest sOlemnity, and
instinctively removed my hat and bow
ed; and can readily imagine how one
might have been affectedto tears.
The prayer ended he gently and calm
ly lay down uson his back, and two of
the Medicine Men advanced, and, be-
fore his burning eyes, slowly whetted a
glistening butcher-knife, and, after re-
peated trials, finding the edge satisfac-
tory, bent over the PROSTATE form and
felt for moment of the flesh upon the
breast; then, elevating the knife an in.
slant toward the sun, it was slowly
thrust
THROUGH THE QUIvERING FLESH.
stepped close up, saw the bright blade
withdrawn crimsoned, saw the form of
the dancer writhe and culver, the toes
and fingers drawn up convulsively, and
then relax; but no hand was needed to
stay him, for he did not raise finger or
shrink hairs breadth, and no moan
escaped his lips. The cutting was then
repeated upon the other side of the breast
the two punctures being about eight
inches apart, through which skewers
were thrust, when the two ends of a
lariat suspended from high up on the
pole were tied to the skewers; and, thus
literally lariated by his own flesh, he
was left. Slowly he raised himself to a
sitting posture, looked sadly at the man.
gled breast, rose to his feet, staggered a
moment, and inserted the feathered
whistle between his lips. The arms
were raised again; the head was thrown
back between the shoulders, that the sun
might reach straight into the eye; ard
he again began dancing, slowly tighten
ing the lariat by pulling back, until the
skin and flesh upon the breast was
drawn outwards six or eight inches.
Thus he danced around the pole, wind
ing and unwinding the lariat; and then
violently threw himself back in the en-.
fastening; but the human skin is tough,
and it refused to tear, and he was thrown
violently forward upon his face. He
arose slowly again, danced a moment,
and, stepping quickly back, threw him
self with such force that
THE FLESH WAS TORN OUT
with plainly audible snap, and he
again fell headlong. He lay thus un-
needed moment; then rejoined his
companion, and proceeded with the
dance. Had he failed to break loose
himself, others would have jerked him
back until the flesh WAS torn.
This was repeated with the others,
with little variation-all passing the Or
deal bravely; one, however, being up
wards of q half hour breaking loose,
ard repeatedly falling and fainting.
But although he had been 65 hours with
out food or drink no drop was allowed
him the nearest approach to this being
the blowing of spray of saliva over
the blistered face from the mouth of the
and the rubbing Of it off
With bunch of some nourishing weed.
One, not content with the common
mode of worship, had cut from his body
$50 distinct pieces of flesh. He was a
brown, small fellow of about IS years.