Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/54



46 T-. C. ELLIOTT

and they all withdrew except a few old men, who stayed a few minutes longer and also went away. As the Chief was going my men wished to see them dance, I told the Chief, who was highly pleased with the request. He instantly made a short speech to them, and all of them, young and old men, women and children, began a dance to the sound of their own voices only, having no instruments of any kind whatever. The song was a mild simple music, the cadence measured, but the figure of the dance quite wild and irregular. On one side stood all the old people of both sexes. These formed groups of 4 to 10 who danced in time, hardly stirring out of the same spot. All the young and active formed a large group on the other side, men, women and children mixed dancing, first up as far as the line of old people extended, then turning around and dancing down to the same extent, each of this large group touching each other with closeness. This continued for about eight minutes, when, the song being finished, each person sat directly down on the ground in the spot he happened to be when the song was done. The Chief made a speech of about 1 or 2 minutes long. As soon as this was ended the song directly began and each person start- ing up fell to dancing the same figure as before. They ob- served no order in their places, but mingled as chance brought them together. We remarked a young active woman who always danced out of the crowd and kept in line close along us, and always left the others far behind. This was noticed by the Chief, who at length called her to order, and either to dance with the others or to take a partner. She chose both but still kept close to us with her partner leading up the dance. Having danced twice this way the Chief told them to dance a third time for that we might be preserved on the Strong Rapids we had to run down on our way to the sea. This they seemingly performed with great good will. Having danced about an hour they finished. We retired much sooner, as the dust of their feet often fairly obscured the dancers though we stood only about 4 feet from them as they danced on a piece of dusty ground in the open air. Their