Show STUDENT LIFE trast to the weird spectacle of the funeral ceremony Different events of importance are celebrated by dances There is the grass dance the sun dance the harvest dance and the war dance The grass dance is in honor of the coming of the grass in spring the sun dance in honor of the sun At the presenl time these dances differ very little except in name the real war dance being a thing of the past A day or so before the time appointed for a dance the Indians flock to the meadow lands of the Fort Hall bottoms The spot is marked by the ruins of the old fort built by a division of Capt Bonneville’s forces the first to make their wav down the Snake River to the trading posts of the Pacific coast Here we are told on the mouth of the Portneuf River the first American flag ever raised in Idalio floated over the few men who becoming snow bound built a little fort for defense against the Indians and wintered on the buffalo meat killed and dried by themselves in the immediate vicinitv At this historic place these halfsavage men of nature collected to give vent to 'their pent-u- p feelings and to utter the erv which has caused many a sleepless night to the white trapper who braved the unknown streams of the Rocky Mountains vears ago With provisions for a week the dance begins under the guidance of an Indian who on previous occasions has proved his right to the position by remaining on his feet 271 longest Sparingly dressed brightly painted and elaborately decked out with many feathers and beads these men dance to an Indian chant and the beat of a large drum made by stretching a cow hide across a hollow arrangement made of logs As the weaker ones fall exhausted or give up without so much as a struggle others take their places At night the dance stops and Hie dancers enjoy the luxuries of life which have been prepared during the day by the squaws The bill of fare is materially increased bv the contributions to the “feed fund” made by the white spectators This of course they are expected to do in return for the privilege of witnessing the spectacle As the darkness comes a number of fires arranged in a circle around the dancing ground are lighted and the squaws to ready appear perform heir part of the program Their dress and dance is similar to that of the men At dawn this savage revelry ceases onlv to make preparations and room for the day performers To the society citizen it seems strange that buck and squaw should dance separately but did you ever stop to think that that is the natural wav ? They dance for exercise Their dance is an athletic contest wherein equal meets equal and male meets male At the close of the dance which usuallv continues for about three davs horse racing and gambling naturally follow After the horses |