This act of sun worship is frequently performed, and the Sioux firmly believe that if they do not obey the dream which points out to them this duty, serious misfortunes will happen to them and their families. Instances have been known of men being able to endure long periods of torture, and young Indians, when passing through the early trials of their strength, will frequently remain for hours entirely suspended by ropes rove through their flesh. It is not possible to estimate the actual personal suffering thus inflicted upon themselves by these North American Indians, by the standard of what would be felt by more sensitive and more highly organised races. I have seen Chinamen endure with stolid indifference, tortures that would cause Europeans to feel the utmost agony.[47] The Dakotas had another form of sun worship, which is still practised by some of the tribes in the West, but which appears to be chiefly intended as a tribal thanksgiving or rejoicing. A pole is raised in the centre of the encampment and upon it are placed figures of birds, beasts and reptiles. The Indians dance round this pole during the day taking care to keep their faces towards the sun. Shortly before sunset the figures are shot at until they have all fallen upon the ground. After this there is another dance which ends when the sun sinks below the horizon. The ceremony is then concluded. Sickness is, with the Dakotas as with the Pawnees, considered to have been sent as a punishment for some wrong deed that has been committed either by an individual or by the tribe. I was told by Faribault that whenever a Sioux found that he was suffering from illness he sent for the medicine man,[48] who, upon his arrival, would immediately proceed to ascertain what evil act the patient had done, and would then take the requisite measures to drive out the evil spirit representing the nature of the offence. It is assumed that the offence committed by the sick person has some reference to a man, woman or animal. The medicine man, who pretends to have the power of second-sight, looks steadily at the patient, until he declares that he can see the inner demon that torments him. After certain incantations, he makes out of clay an image of the creature which is causing the sickness, and then shoots at it until it is shattered. It is expected that this act will cause the devil to depart. If this method of cure fails, other images are made, as it is then assumed that more than one evil deed has been perpetrated. Finally, if all these remedies are unsuccessful it is pronounced that the patient must perform a penance. This usually consists of a long fast, and is considered to be a personal matter strictly confined to the relations that exist between the Indian and the Manito under whose guidance he believes himself to be, and which has been ascertained during the period of the great fast performed in his youth.