The calumet dance sometimes continues two or three days; but each night the calumet is consigned to its repose in the bed, with the same ceremonies as those of the first night.
When all the presents have been made which the dancers have reason to expect, they depart immediately with them to their own nation or lodge.
Instead of striking the post, the donors sometimes strike lightly upon the persons of the dancers themselves.
The presents sometimes made at these dances are very considerable. Ongpatunga once danced the {57} calumet to Tarrarecawaho, the grand Pawnee chief, and received from him between eighty and ninety horses. The Pawnees are indeed distinguished both for their liberality and dexterity at this ceremony. They gave one hundred and forty horses last autumn to the Otoes, who performed this dance at their village. A party of Pawnees once danced at the Omawhaw village, and gave so much satisfaction to many individuals of this nation, as to receive extraordinary presents from them. On this occasion, one person, in the warmth of his feelings, brought forth his child, and presented it to them, as the most precious gift in his power to bestow. The Pawnees accepted this gift; but on their departure, they returned the child to its parent, accompanied by the present of a fine horse, upon which it was mounted.
The dance of discovering the enemy.—This dance is sometimes performed in honour of strangers; at other times, chiefs are invited by the warriors, who wish to exhibit their generosity in presenting them with horses, and to detail their own warlike feats in the ceremony of striking the post. The chiefs, on this occasion, seat themselves in a circle, on the outside of which the warriors are also seated in a ring or circle, concentric with that of the chiefs.
These arrangements being completed, the music strikes up, and a warrior advances, who takes a war-club and crow, provided for the purpose; the latter of which he belts around his waist. He then dances with a slow, shuffling motion, around the exterior circle, exhibiting at the same time a pantomimic representation of his combats with the enemy.
By and by the music beats a quicker time, and calls for corresponding movements on the part of the dancer, until at length both cease simultaneously. The warrior then advances to the post, which he strikes with his club, and proceeds to detail one of his deeds of war. This done, the music recalls him {58} to the dance, and after a short time again ceases, that he may continue his chivalric history.
This alternate dance and recitation continues until the tale of the warrior is told; when he resigns his crow and war-club to another, who continues the amusement in like manner. Most of the dancers present horses to the chiefs, after the performing of their respective parts; and it is generally the case, that each chief invited is rewarded with one of those animals in return for the honour of his attendance.
The bear dance, Mot-chu-wat-che.—This is a medicine dance, not distinguished by any very remarkable traits. The dancers, however, imitate the motions of the bear; and songs, in which there are many words, are sung.
The beggar dance.—This has been already described in our account of the visit of the Otoes, at our cantonment last autumn. This is probably the dance mentioned by Carver, in page 158. of his work; the performance of which, on his landing near Lake Pepin, by a party of Chippeways, was the cause of much alarm to his party.[27]