262 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



them his purpose in coming into that region, and another 

 " neh " followed, to prove that his statements were deemed 

 correct and everything comme il faut. A young brave then 

 arose, and said they were very sorry for disturbing our camp ; 

 that they would not have done so had they known who we 

 were ; but, that though friendly to the pale-faces, some bad 

 whites frequently stole their horses, and they did not know 

 but we might be some of these bad people, as none of 

 the regular settlers ever visited that section. More grunts 

 followed this vigorous explanation, then all dispersed, as they 

 were anxious to recommence the buffalo dance which they had 

 been indulging in for several days, in order that they might 

 have good medicine or luck in their buffalo hunts; for they 

 were then preparing to go on their annual chase in Montana 

 or British America. 



We witnessed this dance, but it differed in no way from their 

 ordinary rude jumping and stamping in a circle, except that 

 the warriors wore masks made of buffalo-heads, or the 

 skins of the animal thrown over their shoulders, while they 

 sung, or rather yelled, some rude refrain, the leading part being 

 taken by the medicine man. 



All carried their rifles or bows and arrows in their hands, and 

 went through the ceremony of shooting and cutting up 

 imaginary buffaloes, and offering the best pieces to the Great 

 Spirit. When a warrior became fatigued he retired, and his 

 place was taken by another, and so the ceremony was continued, 

 perhaps, for days at a time. 



After looking at it as long as we wished, we left the camp 

 and moved towards the burial-ground, and on approaching it 

 we heard loud wailing again. This cemetery was certainly 

 novel if not interesting to look at, for several mummy-like 

 bodies, which were tightly wrapped in old clothes or buffalo- 

 hides, were placed on poles or trees, and a number of skulls 

 and bones were strewn over the ground. The feet of all pointed 

 towards the rising sun, and beside them were placed bows and 

 arrows, old rifles, camp utensils, and such other articles as they 

 were supposed to need in the happy hunting-grounds. The 

 skins -oi mustangs and dogs were placed on tall poles in some 



