The evening times., 1900-06-28

NEW YORK. June 2S.-Miss Alice
Fletcher. who holds the Thor Fellowship
at Peabody Museum, Harvard University.
and who has made a study of the Indian
races. read a paper before the anthropc-
logical section of the American Associa-
tion for the Advancement Of Science in
Columbia University yesterday. Her sub
ject was Giving Thanks: A Pawnee Cere-
mony." She said in part:
During my recent visit to the Pawnee
tribe l was so fortunate as to be present
at a ceremony which was told had never
before been observed by the one OF my
race. As far as my own reading goes,
do not recall any account OF such a cere-
mony.
AS I was driven to the lodge Of I'll
Li-roos-sa- wi-chi. the old priest with
whom l was to hold a conference con-
cerning a rite which l was studying, I no.
ticed that he was nalIe9. save for a breech
cloth and his black nOccasinS OF buffalo
hide. Knowing his careful observance OF
all ritualistic forms. concluded that his
attire indicated a preparation for some
ceremony. and SO it proved.
After greeting me- he said: L am
about to thank Ti-ra-wa for the power
granted TO the medicine l save the wife
and child Of that young man (pOinting 10
a gayly dressed. Indian who stood not
very far Off. tie has brought me The two
ponies which you see under that tree. II
you wish, you eau 80 into the lodge with
US
Thanking him for his invitation. and
looking toward the doorway Of the earth
lodge, I could Just discern in the dim
light Of the interior the wife OF the priest
a.. Ii, fa-
the ceremony. When she cane out she
went to the tree under which the ponies
were standing. and, UnfaStenins the Ia
rats. led them 10 the entrance of the
lodge. where she tied one to each side OF
the doorway. she then carried three mats
into the lodge aEd spread one at the west
one at the north, and one at the south
Of the fire place. The priest entered with
a bundle in his arms. and soon after came
to the door and called ne Carrying my
little camp stool. I followed him down the
long prof 1ct!Dg pas.zaSeway into the cir
cular room As We entered he signiGed
where ! was TO 81 / Placed my stool
against ore OF the large posts and awaited
the ceremony.
The Sacred Buffalo Skull
Il observed ct the west side Of the
lodge. facing the entrance and between two
Of the larger posts which formed the inner
circle about the fire. the sacred buffalo
skull symbolicaIly decorated lying upon
a gayIy colored blanket which was folded
to make a pillow. In front Of it stood
wand with eagle feathers attached Be
tween this wand and the fireplace lay the
bundle which I had seen the priest carry
into the lodge. He proceeded TO open
it and to spread the various articles that it
contained upon the skin OF buffalo calf
FnFa
The wife now entered. carrying ket-
tie of corn mush. which she placed near
the fireplace at the southwest The mush
was made Of corn dried in tho milk Hf-
ter the native manner. and crushed in
wooden mortar Of aboriginal type II was
boiled in water drawn from 4 running
stream. She next brought two wooden
bowls. a wooden ladie and a number OF
buffalo horn SPOONS threaded on strip
Of leather These she placed on a mat
near the kettle OF mush. The bowls and
spoons were Of Indian manufacture.
The fireplace was eucirCied BY ridge
of earth fiat on top and broad enough 20
receive offerings OF food which might Be
placed upon it, The fireplace was empty.
and 10 little kettle hung from the tall
crotched stick leaning over it. The sun
light falling through the central opening
OF the lodge male a bright patch upon the
hard earth nCOr and touched the edge Os
the gayly cOl0Ted mat At the back Of
the sombre hued dwelling. in the diff
fused light, could be seen against the
walls the old divans Of springy sapiings,
with curtains Of reed mats and the lodge
roof sagsing with age and the hard usage
Of wind and rain.
Three men entered. one taking his seat
on TIE mat spread at the north side Of the
fireplace and the others On the one spread
at the south. AS soon as they were seated
they threw back their blankets and re-
veaIed their embroidered buckskin leg
gings. decorated shirts and bead neck
laces. Their glossy hair. which was parted
in the middle hung in two braids, and was
interviewer with colored bands. None OF
the men were painted.
Pnyynee Form of Thank.
After a pause the priest took from the
open bundle a small pipe with black bowl
and round wooden stem. filed it with ma
tive tobacco, and passed il to one of the
young men at The south who lit it and
returned it 20 the priest The priest point
ed the stem upward then placed it to his