86 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



a spear stuck in the ground, and a few guns hung in orna- 

 mented covers of buckskin were added to some of the equip- 

 ments. Near the fire, and in the centre of the inner circle, 

 a spear was fixed upright in the ground, and on this dangled 

 the four scalps of the trappers killed the preceding night ; 

 and underneath them, affixed to the same spear, was the mys- 

 tic " medicine-bag," by which Killbuck knew that the band 

 before him was under the command of the principal chief of 

 the tribe. 



Toward the grim trophies on the spear, the warriors, who 

 in turn addressed the council, frequently pointed more than 

 one, as he did so, making the gyratory motion of the right 

 hand and arm, which the Indians use in describing that they 

 have gained an advantage by skill or cunning. Then pointing 

 westward, the speaker would thrust out his arm, extending 

 his fingers at the same time, and closing and reopening them 

 repeatedly, meaning, that although four scalps already orna- 

 mented the "medicine" pole, they were as nothing compared 

 to the numerous trophies they would bring from the Salt 

 Valley, where they expected to find their hereditary enemies 

 the Yutas. " That now was not the time to count their 

 coups," (for at this moment one of the warriors rose from his 

 seat, and, swelling with pride, advanced toward the spear, 

 pointing to one of the scalps, and then striking his open hand 

 on his naked breast, jumped into the air, as if about to go 

 through the ceremony.) " That before many suns all their 

 spears together would not hold the scalps they had taken, and 

 they would return to their village and spend a moon relating 

 their achievements, and counting coups." 



All this Killbuck learned thanks to his knowledge of the 

 language of signs a master of which, even if he have no 

 ears or tongue, never fails to understand, and be understood 

 by, any of the hundred tribes whose languages are perfectly 

 distinct and different. He learned, moreover, that at sun- 

 down the greater part of the band would resume the trail, in 



