TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 95 



contending forces. A tall, straight rock, standing by one 

 lying down, represents the victorious warrior standing over 

 his fallen foe. These symbols are placed in every conceiv- 

 able shape and position, and represent many different events. 



In the year 1834, it is said, the great Crow chief, Rotten 

 Belly, with a large number of braves, was camping near the 

 Big Horn River, when the news reached him that a Sioux 

 chief, famous in battle, was upon the warpath with a great 

 force under his command, and might bear down upon the 

 camp at any moment. Rotten Belly in great alarm hastily 

 removed to Pryor Creek., and prepared for the fall hunt. 

 He thought his enemies would not molest him there, and if 

 they did, the nature of the country, when once they were in 

 it, would give his people some advantages over an invading 

 force. Not many days after they had left the Big Horn, the 

 Sioux in passing discovered the ashes of their campfires, 

 and exulted in the prospect of a battle in the near future. 



The sagacious Sioux chief, in order to ascertain some- 

 thing about the number of the Crows, placed ten of his war- 

 riors around each of the campfires, that being the number 

 usually allotted to a fire, and then proceeded to count them 

 in his own way, whatever that may have been. There was 

 great rejoicing when he found that the Crows numbered 

 about three thousand, which was a small number compared 

 with his own followers. 



The calm beauty of the night was sadly marred by 

 these painted, repulsive creatures as they went through the 

 motions of the wardance, burning sweet willows, and 

 "making medicine" until the horizon gave the signs of ap- 

 proaching day. They were anticipating the easy victory of 

 which they now felt so sure. Daylight found them upon the 

 road ; for a hard day's ride lay before them,, over a country 

 destitute of water, while the intense heat of the sun scorched 



