“He then danced the pipe dance, to be described further on.  At this time, another storm had come up, and the thunder crashed directly over our heads.

“‘Listen,’ said the medicine man.  ’It hears us.  We are not doing this uselessly’; and he raised his face, animated with enthusiasm, toward the sky, his whole body trembling with excitement; and, holding the pipe aloft, repeated his prayer.  All the rest of the people were excited, and repeatedly clasped their arms over their breasts, saying:  ’Pity us; good give us; good give us.  Let us survive.’

“After this, the pipe was handed to a man on the right of the semi-circle.  Another warrior took a lighted brand from the fire, and counted four coups, at the end of each coup touching the pipe bowl with the brand.  When he had counted the fourth coup, the pipe was lighted.  It was then smoked in turn around the circle, each one, as he received it, repeating a short prayer before he put the stem to his lips.  When it was smoked out, a hole was dug in the ground, the ashes were knocked into it and carefully covered over, and the thunder ceremony was ended.”

In the year 1885, I was present at the unwrapping of the medicine pipe by Red Eagle, an aged Ni-namp’-skan since dead.  On this occasion prayers were made for the success of a party of Piegans who had started in pursuit of some Crows who had taken a large band of horses from the Piegans the day before.  The ceremony was a very impressive one, and prayers were offered not only for the success of this war party, but also for the general good, as well as for the welfare of special individuals, who were mentioned by name.  The concluding words of the general prayer were as follows:  “May all people have full life.  Give to all heavy bodies.  Let the young people grow; increase their flesh.  Let all men, women, and children have full life.  Harden the bodies of the old people so that they may reach great age.”

In 1879, Mr. Schultz saw a sacred pipe unwrapped for the benefit of a sick woman, and on various occasions since he has been present at this ceremony.  All accounts of what takes place agree so closely with what I saw that I give only one of them.  Mr. Schultz wrote me of the first occasion:  “When I entered the lodge, it was already well filled with men who had been invited to participate in the ceremony.  The medicine man was aged and gray-headed, and his feeble limbs could scarcely support his body.  Between him and his wife was the bundle which contained the medicine pipe, as yet unwrapped, lying on a carefully folded buffalo robe.  Plates of food were placed before each guest, and after all had finished eating, and a common pipe had been lighted to be smoked around the circle, the ceremony began.