The medicine pipes are really only pipe stems, very long, and beautifully decorated with bright-colored feathers and the fur of the weasel and other animals.  It is claimed that these stems were given to the people long, long ago, by the Sun, and that those who own them are regarded by him with special favor.

Formerly these stems were valued at from fifteen to thirty head of horses, and were bought and sold like any other property.  When not in use, they were kept rolled up in many thicknesses of fine tanned fur, and with them were invariably a quantity of tobacco, a sacred whistle, two sacred rattles, and some dried sweet grass, and sweet pine needles.

In the daytime, in pleasant weather, these sacred bundles were hung out of doors behind the owners’ lodges, on tripods.  At night they were suspended within, above the owners’ seat It was said that if at any time a person should walk completely around the lodge of a medicine man, some bad luck would befall him.  Inside the lodge, no one was allowed to pass between the fireplace and the pipe stem.  No one but a medicine man and his head wife could move or unroll the bundle.  The man and his wife were obliged always to keep their faces, hands, and clothing painted with nits’-i-san, a dull red paint, made by burning a certain clay found in the bad lands.

The Ni-namp’-skan appears to be a priest of the Sun, and prayers offered through him are thought to be specially favored.  So the sacred stem is frequently unrolled for the benefit of the sick, for those who are about to undertake a dangerous expedition, such as a party departing to war, for prayers for the general health and prosperity of the people, and for a bountiful supply of food.  At the present time these ancient ceremonies have largely fallen into disuse.  In fact, since the disappearance of the buffalo, most of the old customs are dying out.

The thunder is believed to bring the rain in spring, and the rain makes the berries grow.  It is a rule that after the first thunder is heard in the spring, every medicine man must give a feast and offer prayers for a large berry crop.  I have never seen this ceremony, but Mr. Schultz was once permitted to attend one, and has given me the following account of it.  He said:  “When I entered the lodge with the other guests, the pipe stem had already been unrolled.  Before the fire were two huge kettles of cooked sarvis berries, a large bowlful of which was soon set before each guest.  Each one, before eating, took a few of the berries and rubbed them into the ground, saying, ‘Take pity on us, all Above People, and give us good.’

“When all had finished eating, a large black stone pipe bowl was filled and fitted to the medicine stem, and the medicine man held it aloft and said:  ’Listen, Sun!  Listen, Thunder!  Listen, Old Man!  All Above Animals, all Above People, listen.  Pity us!  You will smoke.  We fill the sacred pipe.  Let us not starve.  Give us rain during this summer.  Make the berries large and sweet.  Cover the bushes with them.  Look down on us all and pity us.  Look at the women and the little children; look at us all.  Let us reach old age.  Let our lives be complete.  Let us destroy our enemies.  Help the young men in battle.  Man, woman, child, we all pray to you; pity us and give us good.  Let us survive.’