Oct., 1903. Arapaho Traditions — Dorsey and Kroeber. i6i 



bounced up. It flew higher each time. The fourth time she threw it, 

 it flew up, and they all rose with it, and were turned into the 

 Pleiades (hana^tcana*^, buflfalo bulls, or banokugi). — K. 



• 83. — Splinter-Foot-Girl. 



There was a big camp-circle, located along the river bottom. It 

 was early in the fall, when fruits were fully ripe and game was in ex- 

 cellent condition. The location of this camp placed the necessary wants 

 easily accessible and within short radius ; there were fine pastures for 

 stock and the surrounding landscape afforded the people opportunities 

 to display their energ}^ During "the day, the children were seen climb- 

 ing the hills in search of hog potatoes, while others wandered in the 

 woods for berries and occasionally chased after small animals. The 

 people at the camp were busy at their respective occupations ; some were 

 at various kinds of games, while the older ones were taking sun baths. 

 When night came on there were company dances, and numerous cries 

 of the old men, either for invitations or for general advice, to lead life 

 aright, were heard. , Good feeling prevailed in the camp, for there was 

 tumult among the young children during moonlight, and young men 

 were heard at a distance playing on their flutes, while the rest walked 

 within the camp-circle, singing love songs, etc. All the tipis were well 

 lighted at night and there was not a single complaint to be heard. 



One night an energetic young man made a proposition to go on the 

 war-path before six comrades, who happened to come that day for a 

 social chat which had been agreed upon. So when a definite conclu- 

 sion was reached, this older man told his comrades to get ready soon. 

 He himself went to his mother and told her to make extra pairs of moc- 

 casins quickly. One bright morning the party started off, in search 

 of the enemy. 



For days and nights they journeyed in vain, resting at convenient 

 places for meals. When camping, they made a good sized shelter-tipi 

 (basawwuu, belled-tipi) of willow sticks enclosed with various gar- 

 ments and tall grass, also with bark of trees. Early one morning, they 

 reached a small branch of the river, and it was quite deep. 



Just a little distance above the stream there was a beavers' dam. 

 This dam was roughly built so as to cross the stream. "Well, com- 

 rades, there is no way to cross the stream except to walk on this 

 beavers' dam. This little stream is long and unusually deep," said the 

 oldest one, the leader. For some time they were looking at the 

 dam, until they all agreed to walk over it in single file. The leader 



