_Pawnee Dance.—Delaware Visiters._
In the evening it was determined, to bring the Delawares and the Pawnees
together as friends, for as yet they had held no intercourse. A large
fire was accordingly built before the out-houses in which the Pawnees
had taken up their quarters, and the wild troop sallied forth, prepared
to commence one of their national dances, round the flame. A group of
eight or ten savage looking fellows, seated themselves a little distance
off, furnished with a drum and rattle. They commenced a song, accompanied
by their rude instruments. For a time there was no movement among the
Pawnees, who stood huddled in a large, condensed crowd. Suddenly one of
them, a tall muscular savage, sprang into the middle of the circle, and
gazed around with a hurried air, then with a loud yell he commenced his
dance. He jumped slowly round the fire, with a kind of zig-zag step: at
every leap uttering a deep guttural “Ugh!” occasionally accompanied with
a rattling sound, from the very bottom of his lungs. His comrades looked
on silently, but with intense interest. They were a savage group; face
and body begrimed with paint; their fierce features reflecting the flame,
their teeth bared, and every brow knotted into a frown. Head rose behind
head, and gleaming eyes were seen peering through the living mass, until
those farthest off were hid by the darkness.
When the first warrior had made two or three circles about the fire, a
second left the crowd and sprang forward in the dance; a third followed,
and a fourth, until about twenty were flitting swiftly round, and joining
in the song. Occasionally they stopped short in their course, and
uttered a loud shrill yell, which was taken up by the whole surrounding
horde, until the very trees echoed to the sound. At one moment they moved
swiftly forward, and at another their steps were slow and wearied. As
we watched their fierce, earnest faces, the forms of some wrapped in
shaggy robes, the painted bodies of others, writhing in the dance, and
then turned to the silent, and equally savage group of lookers on, it
required no great stretch of the imagination, to fancy them a host of
evil spirits, busied in fiendish revel.
While they were thus engaged, the crowd separated and revealed a Delaware
watching their movements. Behind him were about twenty more of the same
tribe. No sooner had the Pawnees caught sight of them, than they retired.
Old prejudices could not be rooted out at once, and though the dancers
remained at their employment, the rest of the tribe drew off in a sullen
and haughty group, and stood watching the countenances of their _quondam_
enemies.
This continued during the whole evening. As it grew late, group after
group of the Pawnees left the fire, and retired into their dwelling.
The Delawares soon followed their example, and although their visit had
continued for several hours, I fear it did but little towards removing
that ancient venom, which, in spite of their apparent friendship, was
rankling in their hearts.