The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-02-04
TIE SUN DANCE.
How the Noble Red Man Becomes a
Warrior.

For the CITIZEN.
Before an Indian gains posses
sion of the mighty scalping knife |
his power of endurance and nerve |
are tested in such q manner as will
appear absolutely absurd to the
general mind.
When they arrive at the age of
seventeen or eighteen, they begin
to show q decided inclination to
carry the topknot of some paleface,
whom they consider their born foe,
and for weeks at . time almost keep
an incessant dancing and singing
around the camp, until at length the
elder bucks or initiated warriors an
nounce TO the great joy of the flu
ture heroes the near approach Of the
sun dance.
The day comes at last, the braves
adorn themselves with the quilts of
the fretful porcupine, and red, yell
low and blue clay .besmear their
faces, which gives them an almost
devilish aspect, as they gather
around the tortnous pole that sets
firmly in the ground, with its cruel
hook driven in the top from which
long strip of Indian tanned buffa-
10 hide Is hanging, which is about
six inches i'm width at the hook and
tapers gradually to a shoe string at
the other end, yet sufficiently strong
to hold u bull.
Up 10 the spot where the pole is
the ambitious young red skins ride
from camp at such a reckless rate
of speed, throwing themselves first
to the right then to the left, that to
the tenderfoot their lives are not
worth a copper on the high card.
They land safely within the mag
ic circle, however, where they begin
to disrobe, till nothing remains but
the breechcloth which wraps their
loins and prevents an indecent ex-
posure. The most jealous of the
party that is to become q scalp
taker in the near future steps quick
ly and quietly to the pole and
seizes hold of the long strip of
hide that's attached etc the hook,
for the purpose of ascertaining the
strength of the same.
Satisfied on that matter, he pulls
from a sheath attached to his
breech cloth along, peculiar shaped
bunting knife which he hands to a
tall, stately, grim looking warrior,
who as quick as thought inserts it
under the flesh of the young bucks
breast, making a cut about an inch
long, where the thin end of the
buffalo thong, attaced to the pole
is firmly tied, and also the hands
of the young aspirant to fame, then
the signal is given for the war
dadce which causes a deafening
noise as the Indian tied to the
plole lunges back and forth, yell
ing with delight if he is one of true
Indian nerve till the cut of one inch
becomes three or perhaps four,
when the other breast undergoes
similar treatment; then the back
under the shoulder blades receives
a dose Of the same. When faint
from loss of blood and unable any
longer to stand he is taken to q
hole on the outside of the ring
which is about four feet deep into
which he is put and the earth is
quickly thrown up around him.
Nothing remains but his head and
shoulders above ground. Here he
remains for hours-sometimes ten
hours may elapse before he is re-
moved. And so it is with each
Indian Of the Crow tribe who be-
come q warriors. Should any show
signs of fear at undergoing this
torture, he is made to join the
squaws and the contumely Of labor
is his ever after.
The writer Of this was an eye
witness of q sun dance on the
banks of the Yellow Stone in the
year 1882, when the Northern Pa
cific r. R. was pushing across the
| plains of Montana.
| ,JNo. MAIIEY