230 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



the plains and mountains, with their stocks of peltry. 

 Chiefs of the Shian, the Kioway, and Arapaho, sit in 

 solemn conclave with the head traders, and smoke the 

 " calumet" over their real and imaginary grievances. 

 Now 0-cun-no-whurst, the Yellow Wolf, grand chief of 

 the Shian, complains of certain grave offences against the 

 dignity of his nation ! A trader from the " big lodge " 

 (the fort) has been in his village, and before the trade 

 was opened, in laying the customary chief's gift " on 

 the prairie"'* has not " opened his hand," but " squeezed 

 out his present between his fingers," grudgingly and 

 with too sparing measure. This was hard to bear, but 

 the Yellow Wolf would say no more ! 



Tah-kai-buhl, or, " he who jumps," is deputed from 

 the Kioway to warn the white traders not to proceed 

 to the Canadian to trade with the Comanche. That 

 nation is mad a " heap mad" with the whites, and has 

 " dug up the hatchet" to " rub out" all who enter its 

 country. The Kioway loves the pale-face, and gives 

 him warning (and "he who jumps" looks as if he 

 deserves something "on the prairie" for his infor- 

 mation.) 



Shawh-noh-qua-mish, "the peeled lodge-pole," is 

 there to excuse his Arapaho braves, who lately made 

 free with a band of horses belonging to the fort. He 

 promises the like shall never happen again, and he, 

 Shawh-noh-qua-mish, speaks with a " single tongue." 

 Over clouds of tobacco and kinnik-kinnik, these grave 

 affairs are settled and terms arranged. 



* Indian expression for a free gift. 



