Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-17
u. s. SOLDIERS SEE
WEIRD GHOST DANCE
Apache Scouts Show Pershing
Part of Their Primitive
Ritual.

DIV Va Ahoi AAAAeAVS
Ritual.
GENERAL ENJOYS IT MUCH
Field Headquarters. American Pun
tive Expedition, Mexico, Sept. 10
The Apache scouts attached to the
American punitive expedition came
all the way from FL Vale to field
headquarters to give a ghost dance
for General J. J. Pershing, just be-
fore the. commander of the expedi-
ton left on his recent inspection trip
to the border. The dance, weird and
picturesque, was witnessed by a
thousand soldiers and was held only
after painstaking preparations by the
Indians .+....-
Prior to his first inspection trip
(Which took him to FL Valle) the
general had heard many times of the
ghost dances the scouts had been CIV
ing at their camp and before leav-
ing for Ell Vale had informed Cap
tain James A. Shannon, who has
directed the destinies of the Apaches,
that he would be pleased to have
them perform for him. Communicated
to the Indians, the generals request
caused great excitement and they in
sisted on leaving at once for field
headquarters.
They passed the general en- route.
and it was only by the exercise Of
great diplomacy that they were pre-
vented from debouching from their
motor trucks and giving their dance
on the trail. They were persuaded
to continue their trip, however. and
busted themselves during their six
day layover at headquarters by fur
bishing their costumes and securing
new and complete line of vivid
paints. .... -. -. 49,,
Staged on Ground.
| The dance, held the night after
General Pershing's return from FL
Vale, was staged on a level piece Of
ground inside the lines near China
town" Behind a circle Of bales Of
hay fifty yards in diameter, hundreds
OF khaki.clad soldiers gathered. The
general was seated in a big camp
chair on a low platform. A huge fire
of logs blazed in the center of the
circle, sending showers of sparks and
great sheets of flame skyward when
ever the jealous Apache fireman
dashed gasoline into its roaring
vortex.
Long before the general was seated,
the fourteen musicians, uniformed &C
cording to regulations and seated a
short, distance from the fire, began
their chant. Their soloist. Ietsuay,
would shout a stanza of perhaps
twenty words and his comrades
would chant sort chorus in gutteral
rhythm. 1t was untamed, unframed
and altogether primitive.
Accompanying his chant, letsuay
thumped on makeshift tom tom-a
galvanized iron pail with a wet deer
skin stretched across its mouth.
Dancers Come In.
For five minutes the prologue con-
tinued, then the ranks OF the onlook-
ers parted to admit the dancers.
There were five of them--costumed
barbarically in trappings and head
dresses fashioned by their own hands.
John Cody led the band, followed by
Chow Big, Nonotolth, Saas and Es-
kibende. Eskibende was the & host
and his role partook somewhat OF the
clown-a stiff legged, dignified clown.
OF the five, he wore the least clothes
Like the other four he wore a mask
cut from a burlap sack. A small
headdress, breech clout, moccasins
and a stuffed fawn which dangled
against the small OF his back, COM
pleted his costume. In his hands he
carried two red-tipped wands. His
body was painted ghostly gray.
The others were attired most elab
orately. Their headgear, carved from
wood. painted in bright colors, be-
spangled with small mirrors and
tipped with fluffy white hawk feath-
ers. were works OF art. Brass-studded
belts, bits Of calico. blankets OF vivid
hues and a lumber OF small bells
that tinkled as they moved. made up
the remainder OF their dancing
clothes.
Ghost in Rear.
Entering the arena, they filed
around the circle in dignified prom
enade, all except the ghost, who am
bled TO the rear, executing grotesque
dance steps to the encouraging shouts
of the singers.
Warmed by the applause OF the
spectators, the dancers soon increased
their exertions. Around the fire they
moved, shutting, swaying hopping
The freight was reflected from the
mirrors in their headdresses and the
brass studds in their belts. Streams
OF sweat flowed down their naked
torsos. The singers changed the
motif of their C ant and the five dark
figures that circled the roaring flames
increased their pace. Suddenly the
chant ceased, the monotonous thump
thump of the tom tom ended with a
long roll and the dancers came to a
standstill amid a burst of applause.
The first act was over.
Ten times this was repeated, let
suay chanting industriously, appar-
emily without drawing breath. To-
ward the last the impressiveness OF
the spectacle was increased by vivid
flashes OF lightning from three storms
in the surrounding mountains. Their
H,t