The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-26
NIGHT is HIDEOUS
How They Inaugurate the Season
In the Wisconsin Fields.
The Exercises Include the Execution ank
Mock Eating Of o Dog and the Welkin
L. Made TO Hing by the Red
mems 1evelA

Up in Chippewa county, Wis, around
the shores OF Rice lake. weird fires
break the darkness during the August
nights. and the occasional lone white
man, eamped in the neigh boring wilder
ness. hears. apparently emana;ing from
the flames, unearthly kinds of noises,
echoing over the waters This is tho
season of the year the Chippewa In
dams come down from their settlement.
on Sand lake 10 pick the wild rice
which grows in profuSion at Rice lake.
about ten miles from the village OF
Cartwright.
Hundreds Of braves and squaws ana
PapooSes assemble on the borders OF
the lake, and the night is soInS,lmes
made hideous with their historic dances
and revclrieS, says the Chippewa Falls
Herald. Last season the rice picking
was inaugurated with the most solemn
dance in the traditions OF the tribe
the dog dance. IL requires milk
white dog for the occasion, whose sac
ritice Is demanded before the dance can
proceed, and while the animals blood
Is flowing from the wound which
causes its death. the dance is begun
and continues with the greatest tervor
until the dog has breathed its last The
carcass Is afterward baked in "A boiling
pot Of water and the Indians. after go
ing through an imitation of feasting
on the remains, bury it with cxagger-
Rted ceremonies
The next day rice-p!ckinC Il com.
menced, and 10 those who never wit
messed the mode of gathering the seed
the operations of the Indians are GER
tainly interesting. Several Of the
tribe take canoe. and while one pad.
dies around through the rice fields, the
others knock the seeds from the heads
into the bottom Of the boat After .
load is obtained it is rowed 10 shore,
where others await IL to take charge
of the curing" operations u i,
thrown into large kettle. which
stands over blazing tire. and Is al
lowed TO bake there until turned intoa
beautiful brown. Then another set Of
workers take charge of IL, and IL Is sub
jected to the stamping" operation. At
this part Of the proceedings the spec-
tators are liable To become a little dis
tusAct WIN IAo WDTh- no Eice -
lowered in deer skin into pit in the
earth, and a swsrthy Indian, stripped
20 the waist, jumps into the hole aud
commences TO stamp with NIL his
might. II he sees n doubtful express
sion OF the faces of those not familiar
with this method of cleaning the rico
he rcessnres them with the statement
that his feet are heap clean, wash
'eIn good before getting In" and goes
on with the arduous exercise amid
clouds Of dust. After the foreign sub
stances are tlus removed II In set
away in baskets, ready for the market.
The rice is sold 20 stores and private
families for ten cents a pound. About
Six hundred bushels are CLEANED yearly
and the tribe Is amply repaid for its
trouble in gathering and preparing II.
This year the yield has not been So
large as 70 has been in former seasons
The plant is said To be gradually dying
ont, owing TO the manner In which tho
Indians gather IL, and IL may require
only few seasons more 70 kin {. cf-
fectually. The Land ON which IL stands
Is owned by Mcnominee company and
Is donated to tho Chippewa tribe for
the picking.
After the rice season is over crauber-
rying commences, and several weeks
employment is obtained on the mzrshc,
near Cartwright