promotions, but by common consent he
assumes a station on the battlefield, and if that position is maintained
with honor, he is allowed to keep it, and may be asked, or may
volunteer, to take a higher station, but no warrior would presume to
take a higher station unless he had assurance from the leaders of the
tribe that his conduct in the first position was worthy of
commendation.

From this point upward the only election by the council in formal
assembly is the election of the chief.

Old men are not allowed to lead in battle, but their advice is always
respected. Old age means loss of physical power and is fatal to active
leadership.

_Dances_

All dances are considered religious ceremonies and are presided over by
a chief and medicine men. They are of a social or military nature, but
never without some sacred characteristic.

_A Dance of Thanksgiving_

Every summer we would gather the fruit of the yucca, grind and pulverize
it and mold it into cakes; then the tribe would be assembled to feast,
to sing, and to give praises to Usen. Prayers of Thanksgiving were said
by all. When the dance began the leaders bore these cakes and added
words of praise occasionally to the usual tone sounds of the music.

[Illustration: CHIHUAHUA AND FAMILY]

_The War Dance_

After a council of the warriors had deliberated, and had prepared for
the warpath, the dance would be started. In this dance there is the
usual singing led by the warriors and accompanied with the beating of
the "esadadene," but the dancing is more violent, and yells and war
whoops sometimes almost drown the music. Only warriors participated in
this dance.

_Scalp Dance_

After a war party has returned, a modification of the war dance is held.
The warriors who have brought scalps from the battles exhibit them to
the tribe, and when the dance begins these scalps, elevated on poles or
spears, are carried around the camp fires while the dance is in
progress. During this dance there is still some of the solemnity of the
war dance. There are yells and war whoops, frequently accompanied by
discharge of firearms, but there is always more levity than would be
permitted at a war dance. After the scalp dance is over the scalps are
thrown away. No Apache would keep them, for they are considered
defiling.

_A Social Dance_

In the early part of September, 1905, I announced among the Apaches that
my daughter, Eva, having attained womanhood, should now