Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-03-21

SKIN. 1nlS was tleu 10 long bkln rope
fastened, at its other extremity, to the
top of the sun pole in the center of the
arena Both breasts are similarly pune
tured, the thongs from each converging
and joining the rope which hangs from
the pole. The whole object of the de-
votee is to break loose from these fetters.
To liberate himself he must tear the
skewers through the skin, horrible task
that even with the most resolute may re-
quire many hours of torture. His first
attempts are very easy, and seem intended
to get him used to the horrible pain he
must vet endure before he breaks loose
from the thongs.
"As he increases his efforts his shouts
increase, huge drops of perspiration pour
down his greasy, painted skin and every
muscle stands out ON his body in tor
tuous ridges, his swaying frame, as
he throws his whole weight wildly
against the fearful fetters, being con-
vul5ed with shudders. All the while the
beating of the tomtoms and the wild,
weird chanting of the singers near him
continue. The wonderful strength and
eXtensibility of the human skin is most
forcibly and fearfully displayed in the
strong struggles of the quivering victims
| have seen these bloody pieces of bone
stretched to such a length from the devo-
tee that his outstretched arms in front of
him would barely allow his fingers to
touch them.
Il know it is not pleasant to dwell
long upon this cruel spectacle. Gener-
ally, in two or three hours the victim is
free, but there are many cases where
double and even triple that time is re-
quired.. Oftentimes there are half a
dozen swinging wildly from the pole,
running towards it and then moving
backwards with the swiftness of war
horse and the fierceness of a lion in their
attempts to tear the accursed sllewers
from their wounded flesh. Occasionally
some over ambitious youth will erect
four stakes within the arena, and fasten-
ing skewers to both breasts and to both
shoulders will throw himself backwards
and forwards against the four ropes that
hold the skewers to the stakes
Paintings are not uncommon even
among these sturdy savages, but no for
felt, opprobrium, censure CT loss of re-
spect in any way seems to follow. The
victim is cut loose and placed on the
floor of some lodge near by and left in
charge of his nurses. The only attempt
| saw to break loose from double skewers
in front and behind terminated in this
manner. Whether the men ever after
wards enter the cruel contest after hav-
ing thus failed | do not know. 1t may
be possible that some exceedingly ambi-
tious warrior may enter the lists year
after year to show his prowess, but |
understand that it is supposed to be done
but once in lifetime. 1t is not obliga.
tory, and by far the greater number
grow up sensibly abstaining from such
savage luXuries. When the day is almost
over. and the solar deity is nearly down
in the west, the self tortured warriors
file from the inclosed arena, one by one,
and just outside the doors, deeply COW
cred with handsomely painted buffalo
robes, they kneel, and with arms crossed
over their bloody breasts and with bowed
heads face the setting sun, and rise only
when it has disappeared.
"Many other horrible variations have
been reported to me, such as tying a sad,
die or a buifalo's skull to the end of the
long rope fastened to the skewer and
running over the prairie and through the
timber, the saddle or skull bounding
after the victim until he liberatcs him
self; or, when fainting, to draw the tor
tured man clear of the ground by the
ropes until his weight overcame the
strength of the dstended skin. My in
formants told me that no two of the GER
emonie5 were alike, the self torture in
some form being the one common link
in all. The conservation of the sun pole,
much Of the dancing and singing, the
double efforts of ambitious youths and
other ceremonies might be left out entire
ly or others substituted. | describe it
only as | saw it.