siOBX; - Smithsonian Institution

14 BUBEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 103
And when the time for the green corn dance was near, the hunters brought
into the camps wonderful quantities of fat meat, and they celebrated this
(lance five days. They did not eat of their corn, but that it might be properly
called the green corn dance, they erected a pine pole in the center of the
dance ground, and upon this they suspended a single ear of green corn.
When they had finished this, their forty-third green corn dance in the wilder-
ness, the people began to be concerned as to the probabilities of their having to
journey further. Many of them declared that if the sacred pole should indicate
a removal, it would be impossible for them to go farther, on account of the
great number of bones that had accumulated on their long journey. They
could not carry the bones, neither could they think of leaving them behind.
The chief had for some time been considering the great inconvenience the
marvelous amount of bones had become to the nation. He knew very well, the
feelings of the people on the subject, and how dillicult it v/ould be to get them
to consent to abandon the useless encumbrance. He could see very plainly, that
should they have to go further, a portion of the people, under their present
impressions in regard to the dry bones, would be most certainly left behind. On
hearing the murmuring suggestions of so many of the people, every day, about
the bones of their deceased relatives, and the sacred duty incumbent on the
living to preserve and take care of them, he was convinced that the subject
must be approached with caution. Yet, the oppressive, progress-checking nature
of the burdens was such that they must be disposed of in some way.
He called a council of the leaders of the iksas, and in a very prudent and
cautious manner, consulted them in behalf of the suffering people, enquiring
of them at tlie same time, if it was possible to invent any means that would
aid them in the transportation of their enormous packs of useless dry bones.
It was a subject they had not before thought of, and they required a day or
two to make up their minds.
Time was granted to them, and in the meantime the muiko convened with
many of the people [to consult] about it.
The council met again, and there was some discussiim, but nothing conclusive.
They were loath to speak of the bones of their deceased friends and
relatives. They had packed their bones a great way, and for years ; but there
had been no conversation, no consultation, on the subject. There were among
the young people, many who were carrying heavy packs of bones, who had
never heard, and who really did not know, whose bones they were carrying.
They had grown up with the bones on their backs, and had packed them faith-
fully, but never having heard the name of their original owners, they could tell
nothing, nor did they know anything about them. That the spirits hovered
about their bones to see that they were respectfully cared for, and that they
would be offended and punished with bad luck, sickness, or even death for
indignities, or neglect of their bones, every one knew. It was a great indignity
to the spirits to repeat the names they were known by during their mundane
existence. The greater part of the living who were then in the camp, had
been born and reared in the wilderness, and were still packing the bones of
those who had lived long before and of whom they knew nothing. Yet they
worried along with heavy loads of these dry bones on their journey, in good
faith, and in a full belief of its necessity as a sacred duty. The leaders of the
iksas, who were not in council, were carrying heavy loads of bones themselves
which they could not consent to part with ; and they esteemed it a subject of
too much delicacy to be caviled about in a council. They did not wish to say
anything further about it, anyway.