Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-15
GHOST DANCE IS
GIVEN BY SCOUTS
Apache Indians With Pershing's Men
Stage Wierd Show Over the
Border.

Field headquarters, American punt
tive expedition. MeXico.-The Apache
scouts attached to the American punt
tive expedition came all the way from
II Vale to field headquarters to give
a ghost dance for General J. J. Perish
ing, Just before the commander of the
expedition left on his recent inspeC-
ton trip 10 the border. The dance.
wierd and picturesque, was witnessed
by q thousand soldiers and was held
only after paiustaking preparations by
the Indians.
Prior TO hts first inspection trip
(Which took him 10 FL Valle) the gen
CraI had heard many times of the
ghost dances the scouts had been Civ
ing at their camp and before leaving
FL Vale. had informed Captain James
A. shannon, who has directed the des-
TIMES Of The ApaChes. that he would
be pleased 70 have them perform for
him Communicated TO the Indians
The generals request caused great
oNCitoWCu, and they insisted on leav-
ing a. once for field headquarters
They passed the general enroute
and II was only by the exercise Of
great diplomacy that they were pre-
vented from dcbouching from their
motor trucks and giving their dance
persuaded
continue the trip. however, and bus
led themselves during their six-day
layover at headquarters by furbish-
Ing their costumes and securing a new
and complete line of vivid paints.
The dance. held the night after Gen
crai Fershing's return from FL Vale,
was staged on a level piece OF ground
inside the lines near Chinatown Be
ind circle Of bales Of hay 80 yards
IN diameter. hundreds Of khaki-clad
soldiers gathered The general was
seated in big camp chair on a low
platform s huge fire of logs blaaed
i'm the center Of the circle sending
showers Of sparks and great sheets
Of fame skvward whenever the zeal
Gus Apache fireman dashed gasoline
into its roaring vortex.
Long before the general was seated,
the IA musicians uniformed according
70 regulations and seated a short dis
rance from the fire. began their chan
Their soloist Ietsuay would shout
stanza of perhaps twenty words aud
his comrades would chant a sort OF
chorus in gutteral Tythm 1t was un-
tanned, unframed and altogether prim-
tive.
Accompanying his chant. Ietsuay
thumped a makeshift tom tom-a gal
vanized iron pail with a wet deer skin
stretched across its mouth.
For five minutes the prologue con-
tjnUed. then the ranks of the onIookers
parted 70 admit the dancers. There
We're five Of them -cOstumed barbar-
ically in trappings and headdresses
fashioned by their own hands. John
Cody led the band. followed by Chow
Big. NonotOlth. Saas and Eskibende.
Esklbeudc was the ghost and his role
~ F.r rI- 4rrrN
stiff legged. dignified clown. OF the
tive. he wore the least clothes. Like
tine other four he wore a mask cut
from buTlap sack. A small head
dress, breech clOut, mOcCasins and
and a stuffed fawn which onIOOkers
against the small of his back. com
plcted his costume. In his hands he
carried two red-tipped wands His
body was painted a ghostIy gray
The others were attired most elab-
oratelE. Their headgears, carved from
wood painted in bright colors. be
spaugled with small mirrors and tip
ped with fluffy white hawk feathers
We're works Of art. Brass studded
belts. bits Of calico, blankets of vivid
Aues and number Of small bells that
finkled as they moved made I'D the
remainder OF their dancing clothes.
Entering the arena, they filed
around the circle in a dignified prom
enade. all except the ghost, who
ambled in the rear. executing gro
tesque dance steps to the encOura ging
shouts Of the singers.
Warmed by the applause of the
spectators, the dancers soon increased
their eXertiOns. Around the FIRE thew
moved. shutting, swaying hopping. /
The fire light was reflected from the
mirrors in their headdresses and the
brass studs in. their belts Streams .
OF sweat flowed down their naked tor /
SOS The singers changed the motif
Of their chant and the five dark fig
ures that circIed the roaring flames
increased their pace. Suddenly the
chant ceased, the monOtonous thump
thump of the tom tom ended with q
long roll and the dancers came to a
standstili amid a burst Of applause.
The first act was over.
Ten times this was repeated. Ietsuav
chanting industTiOusiy, apparently
without drawing breath. Toward the
last the impressiveness Of the spec
tacle was increased by vivid flashes Of
lightning from three storms in the
surrounding mountains. Their fan
tastic figures silhouetted against
Pajorita mountain by the binding
bolts. the Apaches scored even more
tedfi-% IMAM IheE mad expected.
After an hours exhibition. the
dance ended, under orders Left to
themselves. the scouts would have
continued hours. even days, until they
were completely exhausted.
No one OF the expedition. not even
heir mentor. Captain Shannon.
Knows for what purpose the dance is
given nor what is chanted The dan
,ers dress I'm secret and hide their
.ccoutrements jealousy. Certain steps
occur frequently. but what they sym
)oiize Us unknown. They seem 10
hink its pretty" was the only expIa-
.atiOn Captain Shannon could give Of
he ceremony