330 THE WAR-DANCE. 



whence he took the head to England. When it was found out 

 that the head was gone, the indignation and horror of the 

 Crows may be imagined, as, according to their belief, their late 

 chief could never go to the " happy hunting-grounds," and it 

 very nearly led to a rising of the tribe against the whites, and 

 this was only averted by their agent saying that he would get 

 the head restored ; and some months afterwards he produced a 

 head which he said was the same, and it was replaced in the 

 box, and the Crows quieted down : the truth, however, being 

 that the head came from another agency where the Indians 

 buried their dead, and where this head had been dug up. 



In the evening the dance came off. Fishel and I went rather 

 late, so that by the time we got to a large tepe in which it was 

 being held there was an immense crowd of Bannocks men, 

 women, and children round the door. Tendoi had refused to 

 attend, as he said that many of the hostiles would be present, 

 and as they had disobeyed him he did not care to meet them. 

 We pushed our way towards the door, and had just reached 

 it, when an Indian took me by the wrist and, pulling me out of 

 the crowd, said something to me in Bannock, which I of course 

 did not understand, so I told him I was Tender's brother, 

 having learned that much of their language on purpose, and 

 this seemed to satisfy him and he let me go. I had my hand 

 on my revolver, and could easily have shot him had he tried to 

 injure me. On reaching the door again I found that Fishel 

 had got us two places against the side of the tepe, the inside of 

 which presented a curious spectacle. Round against the sides 

 were squatted three rows of Indians, one in front of the other, 

 as close as they could be made to go, while the Crows were 

 dancing round a large fire in the centre, swinging their 



