Year: 1866

Major General Curtis writes to his wife frcBl
Fort Sully, the following account of one of the
horrible demonstrations of the Sioux Iadisns
which he witnessed recently near the Fort


The whole of the three thousand Sioux camp.
ed about US gave me early information of their
design to have their annual sun dance at this
time and place, the season of the year, the trees
in full leaf, haviRg now arrived and they wish
me to inform Col. Recor, the comm nder of the
soldiers, that however boisterous their demon
strations might be, they would be peaceable aud
of pious character. On yesterday, June l, the
dancing was delayed at intervals, to allow tor
lures to be inflicted Two or three men stood
over the devotee with needle and knife, very
quietly performing penance according to the
costoms of all these sacEedotal rites as follows
First, they cut the arms in several places by
striking an awl 10 the skin, raising, it and cut
ing out about half an inch. This is done on both
arms, and sometimes on the breast and back.
Then wooden seatons (sticks about the thickness
of a common lead pencil) are inserted through a
hole in the skin and flesh. Then cords of ropes
are attached to these sticks by one end, and to
the pole at the other end, the victim pulling on
the ropes till the seaton sticks tear out the flesh
and skin. | saw one with two seatons attached
to his breast, pulliug till it seemed to draw the
skin out three inches, and finally required near
ly all his might to tear out the seaton. One
painted black, had four ropes attached at once
The pulling out is done in the Dance the pull
ing carried on in the time of the music by Jerk
jerk, jerk, and the eye, head, and front all fac
ing the sun in the form of supplication. One
had four seatous attached to four dry buffalo
head bones. These were all strung and suspen-
ded to his flesh bv ropes that raised each head
some three feet off the ground He danced hard
to tear them out, but they would not break the
skin. One came off the stick accidentally bat
it was again fastened. Finally these heavy
weights each at least twenty-five pounds
weight), not tearing out by their own weight or
motion, the devotee gave conrad horse to
to take hold of the rope and tear out the seaton
While these men were being tortured, their fe-
male relations came in and had pieces cut out
of their arms, to show their appreciation and
valor and devotion to their kinsman Still, as
soon as the victim cOuld be prepared, the mus
ic was renewed and the dismal dance went on
the victims bodies now mingled with blood,
and paint and seatons. There being several
steamboats, aud many soldiers here great
crowd Of spectators rather embarrassed the per-
formers, so they concluded the performance at
II o'clock, having only dancedi twenty-four
hours instead of forty-eight, as they usually do
All the devotees gave away all their ponies and
other valuables to their friends had their wounds
carefully dressed by attendant medicine men
and sat down to an abundant feast of dog soup
and buffalo meat.


80 ended this most barbarous and painful ex-
hibtion of savage idolatry. The picture is still
deeply impressed on my senses, but l cannot
give half the terror of the scene either by pen or
pencil.