“To our Grandmother, the Earth!”
The Scouts answer: “Ho!”
He thus holds the pipe successively toward the four points of the compass, exclaiming as he does so: “To the East Wind! the West Wind! the North Wind! the South Wind!” and each time all answer: “Ho!”
The Leader next holds the stem of the pipe toward the first Scout, who, stepping forward and touching it solemnly, repeats in an audible voice the “Scout’s Oath:”
“I promise to obey my Leader, to seek honor above all things, and that neither pain nor danger shall keep me from doing my duty!”
After the pipe has thus gone round the circle, it is laid beside the fire, and all the Scouts chant, or recite in unison, the Strong Heart Song:
“We are the Scouts of —— (name of band or brigade);
We are the strong-hearted;
We go forward, fearing nothing, to fulfill our vow!”
All now dance around the fire, going through the actions of a Scout on the enemy’s trail. A drum beaten in quick time is the proper accompaniment to this dance, or it may be performed to the chant and hand-clapping of the Leader. (For other songs and musical airs, see Alice Fletcher’s “Indian Story and Song.”) Finally the Scouts leave the ring one by one, each, as he disappears in the shadows, giving the yelp of the wolf—the Indian Scout’s call.
When a Scout returns to camp with news, he is met by the councilors seated in a circle about the fire, and before giving his report, takes the oath of the pipe in the past tense, thus:
“I have obeyed my Leader, have sought honor above all things, and neither pain nor danger has kept me from doing my duty!”