admit of being easily thrust in the ground. The baton is ornamented by having cuts made around it near the top, the shavings being allowed. to remain attached at one end but projecting slightly from the stick so as to resemble miniature plumes. About 6 inches below the top cluster is another, as also farther down the baton, until three or four clusters have been made. At the base of each cluster of cuts

a band of vermilion an inch wide, encircles the stick. Figure 6 represents the general form of the baton.

Shu'nien, after taking the baton at the sharpened end, struck the grave box with the other end, and spoke as follows:

"There were two brothers, Mä'näbush and Na'qpote, the Wolf. Mä'näbush lived to mourn for Na'qpote, who was destroyed by the evil underground beings, but who now abides in Tshi'paia'qki, the final resting place, where he awaits the arrival of the shades of the dead. The dance to be held at the bottom of the hill is held for Na'qpote, that he may return and transport the shade of this dead one to the mitä'wiko'mik, where we shall have our ceremonies this night. All the aged whiteheads are invited to it. While Mä'näbush was still on this earth he said that he should build a fire in the northwest, at which the Indians would always be enabled to obtain warmth for themselves, their children, and their successors. He said that afterward he should go to the place of the rising sun, there to abide always and to watch over the welfare of the Indians. He said if the Indians desired to hold a meeting of the Mitä'wit, that they must first have a feast at the head of the grave. We will now sit and eat."

The mitä women, assisted by relatives of the deceased, then spread a tablecloth upon the ground, and deposited thereon various kinds of meats, vegetables, bread, and pastry-quite a contrast to the primitive method pursued before the adoption of linen tablecloths, china, and silver-plated knives, forks, and spoons. All the invited guests partook of the food placed before them, but nothing was so eagerly sought after as the green cucumbers, which were peeled and eaten raw.

FIG. 6-Ceremonial baton.

After the feast, Shu'nien, the chief priest and master of ceremonies, again took the ceremonial baton, and handing it to one of his assistants, requested him to make an address. The speaker first struck the grave box, and during the time of his remarks frequently struck the box, as if to emphasize his words. The addresses made by him and his three successors related to exploits performed by them at various times, particularly during the civil war, when most of them had

served as soldiers in the Union army. This digression was prompted because the deceased had been one of their comrades.

Shu'nien, in the meantime, had taken the grave post-which had been previously erected before the grave box-and painted a band of vermilion around the top, a band as broad as a finger, and five crosses on one of the flat sides to denote the number of addresses made at the grave; while on the reverse were four transverse bars and three crosses, denoting that the deceased had performed eight noteworthy exploits

FIG. 7-Grave post

during his life. On the grave post were incised the outlines of animals, totemic in character; over each of these some of the animals were again drawn in vermilion, though with another band, as the dotted and shaded lines in the accompanying illustration (figure 7) show. The general appearance of the grave box, with the baton, the grave post, the board with the offering of tobacco, and the stick ornamented with a white cloth, is shown in figure 8. The adjoining grave boxes are those of relations of the deceased, for whose benefit the feast was here given.

By the time the speaking had concluded the sun had gone below the horizon, and Shu'nien suggested returning toward the medicine wiko' mik, the persons present falling into line two by two. The procession marched slowly down the hill toward the east, and passing toward the south side of the structure to the main or eastern entrance, where only Shu'nien and his three chief assistants, the four highest officiating mitä" for this ceremony, entered the inclosure and took seats on the northern side, though near the eastern entrance. Figure 9, representing the ground plan of the medicine wiko'mik, will serve to illustrate the respective positions of the several persons officiating, as well as those of the candidate, visitors, etc.

At such gatherings it is customary for each individual to dress as elaborately as his cir. cumstances will permit. The head is adorned with a turban made of a silken handkerchief, a hat, feathers, or even a turban consisting of a native-made woolen waist scarf. Bead bags, measuring from 10 to 12 inches in length and from 12 to 16 inches in width, with a shoulder strap or baldric across the opposite shoulder, are worn on the hip or side; frequently two or three are worn by the same mitä", and even as many as a dozen have been seen on a single individual. There are also amulets, worn above the elbows, which consist of strands of beaded work, metal bands or skunk skins, while bracelets of shells,

buckskin, or metal also are worn. About the waist is a long varicolored scarf of native manufacture, and in addition some persons wear beaded belts, or belts of saddler's leather adorned with brass tacks. The legs are decorated with garters, varying from 2 to 3 inches in width and

FIG. 8-Graves where feast was held.

from 12 to 15 inches in length, the ends terminating in woolen strings of various colors. The moccasins are sometimes neatly embroidered.

The chief article of value, however, is the medicine sack, in which are carried several small sacred articles, and particularly the konä'pamik,

a, The eastern or main entrance; b, the western exit; 1, Nio'pet, fourth or lowest of the first four; 2, Ak'wine'mi Mo'shihât, second or next lowest; 3, Shō'min, third or next to chief; 4, Shu'nien, chief and leader of ceremonies; 5, candidate, Nä'tshiu'iqko ("He who bullies "); 6, 7, 8, medicine women, relations of the candidate; 9, seat occupied by the writer; 10, seat occupied by the interpreter; 11, usher and general assistant; 12, 13, 14, 15, second group of assistant medicine men; 16, 17, 18, 19, third group of medicine men, detailed to assist in initiation; 20, mat on which candidate kneels when he is to be "shot" with the konä'pamik or magic shell; 21, the place of the fire; 22, place of presents suspended from a pole. The remaining spaces around the interior of the inclosure, indicated by small circles, are occupied by the members of the society and visiting medicine men who may be known and entitled to admission.

or shell, used in shooting at the candidate and in conveying sacred or mystic influence to a patient. The medicine sack or bag, together with the several articles of dress above named, are fully described and illustrated in connection with art work and ornamentation.

In addition to adornment of the body by means of various kinds of apparel, beaded and ornamented with metal, feathers, etc, facial

decoration is indulged in liberally. At present there is no special rule governing the arrangement of color designs employed, though formerly, when the society still conferred four degrees, there were distinctive arrangements of color to designate the several degrees by which the rank of the various members could readily be identified. The colors employed were earthy pigments, generally obtained at trading establishments. The mitä" who had received but one initiation into the society was allowed, as well as expected, to adorn his face by making a white stripe horizontally across the forehead, a band of white clay of a finger's width, and extending outward as far as the outer angle of each eye. In addition, a spot of green about an inch in diameter was placed upon the middle of the breast.

Those having received two degrees were usually honored by their preceptor by being permitted to adopt the facial decoration of the latter; this consisted of a fanciful application to the face of red ocher, or vermilion, and one spot of green beneath each eye.

The third degree mitä" placed a stripe of green so as to extend hori zontally outward from the corners of the mouth.

To distinguish a mitä" of the highest rank, one of the fourth degree, the chin was colored with green paint.

These arrangements were the generic and specific features in color decoration, but slight additions thereto were made, to such an extent only, however, as not to intrude upon or to obscure the typical decorations characteristic of the several grades.

No regularity of color arrangement, in so far as it relates to rank, is now found. No two faces presented any similarity at the meeting under consideration, the greater number of the members having simply besmeared their cheeks, the chin, or other parts of the face, with vermilion, with here and there a stripe of blue, red, or green. One would have his face colored yellow with ocher or chrome yellow, with a stripe of red running outward from each side of the mouth. Another would have three lines of red passing down over the chin, a central line with one nearer the outer corners of the mouth, between which lines were others of dark blue. Another had black spots the size of a dime on a red forehead; while still another, who had recently lost a near relation, had his cheeks and forehead blackened with ashes.

One young man displayed rather more than ordinary taste in the decoration of his face; there being a stripe across each cheek from the nose to near the ears, curving slightly upward, consisting of alternate squares of vermilion and white, the squares being about three-fourths of an inch across and bordered with black. A row of spots also extended from the upper lip outward toward the ears, each spot being as large as a dime; those nearest the mouth were red, the next two white with a bar sinister in blue, and the last ones red. While scarcely beautiful, these facial paintings of the men were very striking.

The facial decorations of the women members of the society were not so elaborate, their chief form consisting mainly of reddened cheeks,