fourth day, she and her mother, and as many of the tribe as are available, begin to dance at sunset and keep it up all night.  The girl herself is designated by a long and slim pole which she carries in her hand, and which towers above her head.  By her side stands her mother.  The leader of the dance begins a song, a simple, rhythmic, weird chant, the words of which are archaic and have no significance to the Indians of to-day, but merely give syllables to hang the tune upon.  As the leader sings he slowly moves his legs in a kind of oblique walk.  The young men take his hand and follow.  The women unite, and a rude circle is made, generally, however, open, at the place where the dance-leader stands.  After once or twice around, the leader moves first one foot, then the other, sideways, at the same time jogging his body up and down in fairly rapid movement, in perfect time to his song.  In a few moments all are bobbing up and down, with the onward side-shuffling movement, and the real dance is on.  This continues according to the will of the leader.  When his voice gives a sudden drawling drop that dance ends.  There are a few minutes for relaxation and breath, and then he lines out a new song, with new syllables, and a new dance begins.  This continues practically all night, the dance-leader showing his memory power or his composing genius by the number of new songs he introduces.  I have counted as many as thirty to forty different tunes on one occasion.

Just at sunrise the mother of the girl fetches one or two buckets of cold water, while the maiden undresses.  The water is suddenly dashed over her “to make her vigorous and strong,” and the dance comes to an end.

This rude and rough treatment, in the early days, was made to have all the potency and sanctity of a religious rite.  The reason for it was clear.  The Washoes were surrounded by people with whom they were often at war.  Indian warfare takes no cognizance of sex or its special disabilities.  In order that their women should not be regarded as hors de combat, or enfeebled, at such times and thus hamper the movement of the tribe in case a sudden flight was needed, the shamans or medicine men taught that strength, activity and vigor were just as possible at that time as any other.  “Those Above” commanded that it be so.  Hence all the sanctity and seriousness of a religious rite was thrown around these dances, and though the Indians of to-day have lost many of their old customs, this is one that is still rigorously observed.

Another singular custom that still obtains is where, after the birth of a first child, the husband and father is required to fast and work arduously from the day of the birth until the child’s navel shrivels off.  This is to make him strong and vigorous, so that he may be able to give as much strength to his second and later children as he did to the first.

As soon as a girl matures she is marriageable.  Several and simple are the ways in which a Washoe youth shows his preference and desire for marriage.  Equally simple are the girl’s signs of acceptance or rejection.  There is no ceremony as the White Race understands that term, though to the Indian there is everything that is necessary to make the rite as binding as it is to his white brother and sister.