Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-29

is supposed to crafty the Great Spirit and TO ina
duee him 70 preserve to their use the game OF
which they stand in need.
But the dapce of all others, the one to which
is attached the most thrilling interest, and 10
attend whicE Indians will PACK up their tami-
lies, their goods and chattels and travel hun
dreds of miles, Is the saVageIrehglouS rte called
the sun dance.
Sometimes from sheer boyish bravado younS
brave who has not had opportunity to distin-
guish himself on the warpath will offer himself
as one of the victims, but as rule the indians
who take prominent parts in this strange SELF
torture, have vowed TO the Great Spirit that
they would so appear because ,h OF the
shio in behalf OF some friend or relative
stricken i'll, or in return for miraculous rescue
from death or danger. The Indian believes tha.
in undergoing the torture OF the sun dane Ee is
doing honor to his creator, but the United STAT
government has taken decidedly different view
of the case, and of late years has done all in its
power TO stop the performance: THERE'S little
doubt now that the sun dance is thing Of the
past.
Ten and twenty years ago its observance was
the event of the Indian calandas. Preparations
began weeks beforehand. Friends. relatives.
allies from distant tribes came Hooking to the
designated place, and presently great prairie
township had sprung up along the banks of some
favorite stream, and 10000 TO q, OOO Sioux and
Cheyennes were there assembled. Meantime
the old chiefs and medicine men had received
and du " heralded the names OF those young men
who offered themselves for the sacrifice; and
somewhere in the surrounding hills q tail,
for the purpose This was to become the sacred
center OF the solemn rites that followed.
The full of the moon in the first summer
month has come and now, in ali the bravery OF
their war paint and feathers. the warriors noun.
their favorite ponies. The old men and women,
the squaws, Children, ana the ponies, too are
decorated with wild flowers. The entire COM
munity except the poor devils who have The
ordeal before them and are required by their
vows neither to eat nor drink for four days,
now march forth 10 where the sacred tree has
been marked, and here a dense throng, amid the
chantings and Rowings of the old squsws. .
great circle is formed, and the warrior who Is
common consent has performed the 5ravest deed
of the year advances alone and strikes the truHk
light blow with an AK. Then the ola women
redouble their howls. Other warriors advance,
strike the tree and contribute presents for the
| benefit of the poor, and thea two young girls
/ gorgeousIy dressed chop down the tree and
| trim away its branches. Ropes and lariatS az
| passed underneath, and 1t is carefully lifted by
| the chiefs, and then in solemn procession thty
| start for camp. halting once in awhile to pay -
/ the sun god and have a ceremonial smoke. Hat
/ a mile from the spot where the tree is 10 bH
| planted a final halt is made; all the mounted
| warriors fOI m in one great line amidst intense
! but depressed excitement, their ponies plunsEZ
| in eagerness for the coming race. Then The
| signal is given, and away they so in the Wild
! est, maddest charge. yelling like demon,
! firing their rifles and pistols, yet all intent on
the race, for he who first touches the spot wher9