234 HUNTING THE GRISLY. 



descended only when the stream is frozen. 

 However, after six days' labor and hardship 

 the descent was accomplished ; and the sur- 

 veyor, in concluding, described his experience 

 in going through the Crow Reservation. 



This turned the conversation upon Indians, 

 and it appeared that both of our hosts had 

 been actors in Indian scrapes which had 

 attracted my attention at the time they oc- 

 curred, as they took place among tribes that I 

 knew and in a country which I had sometime 

 visited, either when hunting or when pur- 

 chasing horses for the ranch. The first, 

 which occurred to Captain Edwards, happened 

 late in 1886, at the time when the Crow 

 Medicine Chief, Sword-Bearer, announced 

 himself as the Messiah of the Indian race, 

 during one of the usual epidemics of ghost 

 dancing. Sword-Bearer derived his name 

 from always wearing a medicine sword that 

 is, a sabre painted red. He claimed to pos- 

 sess magic power, and, thanks to the perfor- 

 mance of many dextrous feats of juggling, 

 and the lucky outcome of certain prophecies, 

 he deeply stirred the Indians, arousing the 

 young warriors in particular to the highest 

 pitch of excitement. They became sullen, 

 began to paint, and armed themselves ; and 

 the agent and the settlers nearby grew 

 so apprehensive that the troops were order- 

 ed to go to the reservation. A body of 

 cavalry, including Captain Edwards' troop, 

 was accordingly marched thither, and found the 

 Crow warriors, mounted on their war ponies 



