264 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



different direction. When the sun rose, they found themselves lost in 

 the wilderness, and did not even know what had become of their stock. 

 The hill that carried the people off was the horse-tick. — D. 



Told by Red-Wolf. 



117. — The White Buffalo Cow. 



A long time ago, when there were yet plenty of buffalo, theArapaho 

 were camping near the river where there was plenty of wood and grass 

 for the winter's hunt. 



One day a party of young men spied a vast herd of buffalo and 

 chased it until they had killed enough for beef and hides. The young 

 men took the fresh beef to their respective homes, which greatly re- 

 lieved the people from hunger. A young man who had been out herd- 

 ing a bunch of ponies came home and heard of the recent slaughter. 

 So he started out to kill for his family.' He was on a good horse, so that 

 he could run down many buffalo. 



Reaching a high hill, he went to the top of it and saw a vast herd 

 down in the other valley, grazing in bunches. After locating a big herd 

 he rode down and got close to it. He dismounted from his pony and 

 crawled slowly, until he had come within a short distance of the herd. 

 Looking for a fat steer, he saw a white buffalo cow in the herd grazing. 

 This hunter was a famous warrior, and it was the method of killing 

 the white buffalo cow that before a man should shoot at it, he must tell 

 a war story. After telling a story, he shot at it with a gun, wounding 

 it slightly. The herd started off away from him in a walk, the white 

 buffalo cow taking the lead. 



Once more the hunter got on his horse and encircled the herd. He 

 dismounted from his horse and advanced, told a war story and shot at 

 the white buffalo cow, wounding her slightly again. When he fired 

 the bullet, all the others looked at him, then they started off in a walk. 



"Well, I have undertaken the task of killing this .white buffalo 

 cow, and now I shall try again," said the man. So he mounted his 

 pony again, encircled or went ahead of it and then dismounted. "Now 

 I was detailed as a scout to locate an enemy and succeeded in doing so. 

 I took a prominent part in battle and struck a brave foe," said he. 

 shooting at the white buffalo cow and injuring it slightly. All the 

 others looked at him again, then walked off slowly. This time the 

 white buffalo cow was weakened and dropped back, but followed the 

 herd. 



Again the hunter went ahead of the herd and succeeded in getting 

 closer to it. This herd had sat down on a nice piece of buffalo grass, some 



