104 EXPEDlTiOJX TO WHITE lilV£A. 



The winter trade was now considered fully opened. Parties were eeni 

 with goods from the Fort to dilTeient villages, for the purpose of barter, 

 and aSairs began to show a business-like appearance. 



Some two weeks subsequently, a band of Brulcs arrived in the vicinity. 

 They had come for a drunken spree, and soon opened a brisk trade in 

 liquor. 



Our visitors crowded tlie' Fort houses in quest of articles of plunder, 

 and became an incessant source of anno} ance to the engages. One room, 

 in particular, was thronged almost to the exclusion of its regular occu- 

 pants. The latter, losing all patience, at length hit upon a plan to rid 

 themselves of the intruders. 



After closely covering the chimney funnel, by aid of some half rotten 

 chips a smoke was raised ; tha doors and windows being closed to prevent its 

 egress. In an instant the apartment became filled to suffocation, — quite 

 too much so for the endurance of the wondering savages, who gladly wltli- 

 drevv to gain the pure air of the exterior. On being told it was the Long- 

 knife's medicine,* they replied : 



" Ugh ! Wakea sutiello ha Mena-huska tour !" (Ugh ! The Long-knife's 

 medicine is strong .') 



During their stay at tiie Fort, an incident occurred which wiU ser\'e to 

 illustrate a singular ti-ait in the character of the3e Indians. 



A brave, named Bello-tunga, (Big Eagle,) received a blow over tlie head 

 from a half crazed drunken ti'ader, whicli came very near terminating in 

 serious consequences. What would have been the result, it is hard to tell, 

 had not the whites promptly interfered, and, with much eflbit, succeeded in 

 pacifying the em-aged savage by presenting liim a horse. 



At first he would admit of no compromise short of tlie offender's blood — 

 he had been struck by the pale-face, and blood must atone for the aggTes- 

 sion, — unless that should wipe out the disgrace, he could never again lift 

 up his head among his people, — tliey v»'ould call him a cov/ai'd, and say tlie 

 white man struck Bello-tunga and he dared not to resent it. 



The ser\'ices of his father, hereupon, were secured in behalf of tl:e 

 offenduig party, which, after gTeat ado, finally effected an adjustment uf 

 the difiiculty. 



An Indian considers it the greatest indignity to receive a blow from anj 

 one, even from his own brother; — and, unless the affiiir is settled by t):e 

 bestowment of a trespass offering on tlie part of the aggressor, he is almost 

 sure to seek revenge, either tlu^ough blood or the destruction ot property. 

 This is a more especial characteristic of the Sioux than of any other nation. 

 In fact, tlie Snakes, Crows, Arapahos, Chyennes, and most otlier tribes arc 

 far less nice in its observance, — though all regard the like an insult tlii! 

 justly calls for revenge. 



Soon after, an expedition was detached to Fort Lancaster, on the South 

 Fork Platte, and another to White river, an affluent of the Missouri, somf 



*Thi8 word, in Indian signification, means any person or thing possessed ol 'itra- 

 ordinary or supernatural powers, bs well as any act for conciliating the favor and 

 obtaining the assistance of the Great Spirit. Tliat medicine is the strongest which '» 

 tb« moat efficient for its intended purposes. 



