the great war dance, the chiefs of the tribe assembled in conclave in
their council tent. And before these chiefs, who sat as a sort of jury,
appeared the young men of the tribe. And each young Indian told of his
brave deeds, performed since the last war dance, and according to these
deeds the chiefs decided whether the young man was worthy to become a
chief.

He needed no witnesses; his word was sufficient--for the Indian spoke
only the truth. And the descendant of a chief was held more worthy of
honor than another, for brave blood flowed in his veins. But after each
young man was deemed worthy, he must prove his bravery at the dance.
From a center pole hung a number of rawhide thongs. Through the breast
or back of each young brave two slits were cut, and a stick or skewer
was passed through them, and a thong tied to each end of the skewer.
Then the braves danced around the pole, leaning back and supporting
their weight on the skewer, and when this weight tore the skewer from
the flesh, the braves were deemed worthy to become chiefs. But should
one give up, or faint from pain, he was deemed unworthy. And the torture
suffered by all was great--but the torture borne by those through whose
backs the skewers were passed was greater.

"White Chief and scout come to Indian war dance," Injun continued. "At
dance, when braves make talk and tell how they do things what make 'em
chief, my mamma's brother he tell how him ride on prairie and see two
white men. Him ride to them quick to show him friend. White men say
Injun bad. White men shoot at my mamma's brother. My mamma's brother him
shoot at white men. Him kill white men. My mamma's brother him made
chief, after him dance with stick through breast until stick break.

"Scout, my mamma's brother friend, and White Chief they go 'way. My