Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-09-09
A sEy ERE TEST.

SEN ERE TEST.
The dancers, more than l5O-most of them
youngsters going through the ordeal for the
first time-are ranged around the center pole
keeping time with the tomtoms with pecu-
liar step that requires one foot at a time to be
raised, while the weie hit of the body is brought
down on the heel that is touching the ground
The body is crouched and bent forw ard with
the arms raised, the right arm being extended
above the head wher the left foot is down,
and the left arm when the right foot is down.
This alternating mott On constitutes the dance,
and can he kept up without gaining ground.
But the fresh youths occasionally spring both
backward and forward and thereby elicit ap-
plause. All the time the dancers must face
the sun and look at it. They are not allowed
any head covering, and are stripped naked,
except "A breech clout
The dancers hold in their mouths whistles,
made out Of the bones of turkeys wings
which they blow as they breathe the object
being to keep the mouth dry. They are not
allowed water or fooc during the whole time
OF the dance about iorty-eight hours. To
intensity their desire FOR water, which is the
harder Of the two to hear, several philanthro-
pists go among them With water, which they
pour from a cup into 4 bucket in front of the
dancers so they can sse and smell ii. These
philanthropists are accompanied by good
Samaritans, who assist the power of the sun
by flashing light from a looking glass into the
dancers ewes
Only the most tender hearted of these cul-
tured children of nature are intrusted with
these delicate missions, and they must belong
to different lodges than the dancers they APP
pear before. Their desire is to break down
the dancers, while il Is a matter of pride
with the members OF the lodges to which
these youngsters belong to succeed, and it is
permissible for buck, not one of the
dancers, to go alongside of tired friend and
let him lean his back gainst him, both keep
ing up the dance. Although the dance was
not more than six or seven hours old when
we appeared, there were several dancers be
ing assisted in this mi nner. The only cessa-
ton of the dance allowed the dancer leach
one gets his chance) is when the b;g medicine
man, who stands near the center pole, calls
him up to be operated upon. But he is only
permitted to stand still long enough to en-
dure that pleasure, WI ich consists in having
incisions made in the iesh Of his breasts or
on his back below the shoulder blades,
through which are run throngs of deer skin,
to which are tied either buffalo head or a
lariat, taken from the pole.
me CuiS uatbef bl siSub anu sOunu II
kept up a warrior wi enter the circle, and
In q loud voice crate t) the crowd, telling of
his exploits in the COOL times gone by, when
scalping was not lot art. This dance I'm
telling of was held the next summer after the
Custer massacre, and several of the audience
present had been actively engaged in it. These
orators talk well, ano what they say is lis
tened to with great attention. 1t fires the
young mems hearts W tn q desire to emulate
the deeds described, and keeps the dancers
nerved up to go through with an ordeal which
win entitle them to appear and tell what they
have done, even II il only consists in the
killing of an old Ponca squaw.
Sun dance is fair t-ial of a mans ability
to endure discomforts. And when q young
buck has successfully gone through with II
he Is entitled to be considered qualified for
the vicissitudes of warriors lfe.-Capt
Allen Smith in Pittsburg Dispatch