Telegram-herald., 1890-03-02

LAfter Frod=rie Remington In he March cen-
ttuyl
Long before sunrise the eager partici-
pants IN the next gJeat step were pre-
paring themselves foF the ordeal, and a
quarter Of an hour before the sun rose
above the broken hills Of white clay q
long line OF naked young warriors, in
gorgeous war paint and feathers. with
rifles, bows and arrows. and war lances
N hSnd, faced the east and the sun pole,
which was from 500 TO 900 yards away.
Ordinarily this group OF warriors num-
bers nom so TO 200 men An interpreter
near me estimated the line beheld as
from 1000 10 1900 strong. Not far
away. on a high hill overlooking the bar
bAric scene. was an old warrior. a medi-
cine man OF the tribe, I think, whose
soler1n duty it was TO announce by
shout that could be heard by every one
Of the expectans rhrong the exact mo-
mems when the tip of the morning sun
appeared above the eastern hills.
-Rufect quiet rested upon the line Of
young warriors and upon the great
throng OF savage spectators that blacked
the green hills overlooking the arena.
Suddenly the old warrior, who had been
kneeling on one knee, with his extended
palm shading his scraggy eyebrows,
arose TO his full height, and in a slow.
dignthed manner waved his blanketed
arm above his head The few warriors
who were still unmounted now jumped
hurrisdly upon .heir ponies; the broken,
wavring line rapidly took on a more
regular appearance, and then the old
man. who had gathered himself for the
great effort. hurled forth a yell that
could be heard TO the uttermost limits OF
the great throng. The morning sun had
sent rs commands 10 its warriors on
earth to charge.
''Ihe shout from the hill was re-echoed
By the thousand men in the valley; IL
was caught up by the spectators on the
hills ss the long line Of warriors hurled
themselves forward towards the sun
pole. the objective point of every armed
and naked savage in the yelling line. As
hey converged towards is the slower
ponies dropped out and the weaker ones
were crushed 20 the rear. Nearer and
nearer they came, the long line becom-
ing maSsed until il was but a surging
crowd Of plunging horses and yelling.
gesticulating riders.
when the leading warriors had
reached point within a hundred yards
Of the sun pole, sharp report Of rifles
sounded along the line. and a moment
later ths rushing mass was sheet of
farne. and the rattle Of rife shots Was
Ike the rapid beat of a drum resounding
among tbs hills Every shot. every ar
row add every lance was directed at the
pole. and bark nd chips we're flying
from ia sides like shaviDxs from the ro-
tary biz Of planer. When every bullet
bad been discharged. and every arrow
and lance had been hurled. the ridsrs
crowded around re pole and shoueed
as only excited savsges can shout"
Several days following the cousecr.-
tion Of shs sun pole wers devoted 70 sun
worship. fasting. dancing and various
other rfesL The inal ordeal Is thus de-
sribsd By Lieut. Schwaska;
"Ths row OF dancers took their places
promptly sc sunrise. but l. was not be
tore or 70 that the tortures began.
Then each of she Young men pre-
rnt=d himself % medicine man. who
hoox between his thumb and fcrefngsr a
fDld of tas ioose skin q the breast. about
half way between the nipple and the
cellar bone. hfted &c as high as possible.
and ehen ran = vsrv narrow hladed bgs
shsrp knffs throuxh the skin underneath
he hard. IN shg spers1rs thus made.
and before The knife wss vith6r.wn. q
arcn~sr s<awsr p hons ahous the sir.
n carpenters pencil was fns@rt.d.
Thsn the knifs blade wss taken cut. and
---r the projections n this ske~er. hank-
wsris and forwards. slternsssiy rtSht
ard left. wss thrown agEr~-of -eixhs
-ssnzs Nth a -sr-nr thcrx ~ arr~s~>s
Ain. Thfs wss rid - q lonz skin rope
ehrtsnss5. az iss cshsr sxtrsnnitv. e. th.
tup of the sun pcie IN TIE center cf the
u~ana. Rcsh breasts are similarly pune
tusr-zf she tlr-nw- from .sch couverxfnr
ard iofrinx ere ror. Which hsnes from
fhe pole Tl,e wbols obf@rt II she se-
-~-spa - e. hr.ak Irs,ee from tks-- frttpr-.
r Isher1ea himself Re nuxs s~sr ths
sk-~ers tarcuzh she ski1. = hcvTihls essk
sfssf s~pzi with ne racst resoiase nav -
Qrrirs uian~ hours II ecrturs- His Erss
attempts sra ~erT sssv. ard sesr's istendei
a sd hiua us.d ~ t.ss harribie ran 10