84 BULL TAIL. 



On being answered in the affirmative, he commenced crossing to join us. 



Plunging into the river with his horse, he had proceeded about midway 

 »f the stream, when the panting beast suddenly sank into the quicksand, 

 throwing its rider head foremost into the water. At length, having effected 

 a ford, he hurried up to us, profusely dripping with wet . as evidence of 

 the thoroughness of his recent drenc-hing. 



First shaking hands with the company, he began to inquire about liquor, 

 affirming the waggons contained that article, and adding, it was " right the 

 Long-knife should bring the fire-water to give to the red man," as did the 

 Bad-medicine, — but it was wrong to sell it. For his part he would not buy 

 the fire-water. He would buy blankets, knives, beads, and ammunition, — 

 not the fire-water ; but tlie Long-knife should give it to him. 



The personage thus introduced was one of the chiefs of the Brule- 

 Sioux, and sported the name of Marto-cogershne, or Brave Bear. He was 

 a turbulent fellow, that proved the pest of his village traders. Slim and 

 spare-made in person, he was somewhat pale and sickly looking, and seemed 

 about thirty years of age. His arms were a short fusee, with a bow and 

 arrows slung to his shoulders, and a butcher-knife affixed to his belt. His 

 hair was long, parted in front, and turned backwards ; that upon the occiput, 

 being bound in a cluster with panther's skin, hung in a plated cue and 

 almost trailed the ground, while a lone eagle's plume completed his head- 

 dress. A robe enveloped his body, which, with moccasins, leggins, and 

 breech-cloth, constituted his full costume, — a description of dress respond- 

 ing to that almost universally common among mountain tribes. 



We were soon joined by others of his people, who eagerly enquired re- 

 specting the amount of liquor brought with us. 



Among these were several individuals recognized by our voyageurs aa 

 old acquaintances ; particularly one, an old chief called Bull Tail, (Tah- 

 tunga-sana,; who was distinguished in attire from all his fellows by the 

 addition of a hair-seal cap and a frock-coat, which he had received as pre 

 sents from the whites. 



One of our party gave a favorable account of tlie old fellow, and related 

 a story much, to his credit. 



The narrator, during the previous winter, while searching for stray horses 

 among the hills, had become so bewildered he was unable to find his way 

 back to camp. He thus wandered for four successive days, unarmed, witli 

 out food, and with but a single robe for covering. His destiny would, 

 doubtless, have been to perish, had not the kind hearted Tah-tunga-sana 

 discovered him, and, pitying his forloni condition, taken him to the village, 

 upon his own horse, some twenty miles off, going himself on foot the entire 

 distance. Here, the lost one was treated to the best the lodge of his de- 

 liverer afforded, and, when sufficiently recovered, he was escorted to the 

 nearest station of the whites. 



I turned tor another look at the worthy chieftain, who now rode up 

 and greeted his protege with much cordiality. 



Americans are known among them. The American Fur Company, employing almost 

 •xcliuively Frenchmen, or individuals speaking the French language, receives th« 

 appellation of Wah-ceicha, or the Bad-me<iicine company, — a phrase tuiiversaUy a|»- 

 puod to tbe French among the moimtaiii tribes. 



