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Show PLAINS AND MOUNTAINS. 209 ous practice, but a wounded enemy is scalped when he is supposed to have a mortal wound, or one such may be given him after the process. Sometimes these wounds do not prove fatal, and the injured party recovers, minus a slice of the skin and hair along the top of his head. The most approved way of scalping is to take only a small piece of skin from the occiput, to which the " scalp- lock " is attached. I saw a fresh scalp last fall taken by a Ute from an Arrapahoe. The brave who took it seemed to have been rather greedy, as it included the entire skin of the head. It was stretched out on a little hoop of willow, and the squaw of the owner carried it, and appeared to be very careful of the precious property. Whatever size or shape the trophy may be, it must contain the scalp- lock. This is to prevent fraud. If some such precaution were not taken, a dishonest warrior might cut up one into a dozen. Scalps with long hair attached are more highly prized, and used in decorating the person of the brave who owns them. The insignia of rank is often made from these, and consists of portions of the scalp attached to the shoulder, or on the fringe of the leggings, & c. A " scalp- dance " is no ordinary occasion of rejoicing; it occurs after the warrior returns to his friends with his trophies. If, after a battle, in which some of the' tribe may have been killed, the mourning of the relatives is turned into re joicing, at the evidence of revenge for their slain, and all are merry alike. The scalps not used as ornaments are carefully preserved by the owners as evidence of their prowess, and if at any time a dispute as to the bravery of a warrior arises, he produces his trophies of battle, or cold blooded murder, as the case may be. Chieftainship is not always hereditary, though the son of a " Big Chief," the head of a tribe, is an under- chief by virtue of his birth, but at the death of his father he does not succeed him as the head of the tribe unless he has ar rived at proper age, and has exhibited such discretion and valor as to entitle him to the position. Tribes are divided into bands, and over each is a chief; and bands have also 10 |
