Sun worship existed amongst all the Indian tribes dwelling in the Mississippi valley, particularly with the Natchez in Louisiana, but the manner and the ceremonies differed, and with none of them were the painful personal sufferings and penances, undergone by the worshippers, so great as they were with the Dakotas. An instance of the severity of this penance occurred in the year 1849, when Faribault was living with a Sioux tribe encamped on the western shores of the Mississippi, near Prairie la Crosse. “An Indian,” he said, “dreamt that he had incurred the displeasure of the Great Spirit, and that it was necessary to appease him by sacrificing to him everything that he valued, and also to perform penance by undergoing the utmost pain that he was able to endure. A scaffolding was raised near the camp, consisting of two upright poles—of sufficient length—which were firmly fixed in the ground. These were connected near the top by a cross pole. When this was completed the Indian stood up and, shortly before daybreak, a cut was made within the fleshy parts of each arm near the shoulders through which was passed a rope. Cuts or holes were then made in the breasts and other ropes were pushed through them. The cords were then tied to the stakes in such a manner that the arms were suspended by them. The breast ropes were secured in a position such as to allow that a certain portion of the man’s weight was held by them. His feet were allowed just to touch the ground. His dog was killed and placed in front of him together with his blanket, cut into strips, his feathers, his ornaments, and all that he possessed. “When these preparations were made the Indian waited for the rising of the sun, and directly it appeared above the eastern horizon he threw his head back and fixing his gaze upon it commenced dancing. His friends at the same time maintained an incessant beating of a small drum. The dancing continued throughout the day, the Indian moving his position as the sun moved and taking care always to keep the sun in his front and to gaze steadfastly upon it without shrinking from its full light. After sunset he remained watching the western sky throughout the night. In the morning he turned round towards the dawn and when the sun appeared, was immediately cut down from the scaffold and fell exhausted upon the ground.”