84 BULL TAIL. 



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



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

 of 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 drenching. 



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

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

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

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

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

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



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

 Siou.x, 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, wit!i 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 plati^d 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 voyageiirs ag 

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

 tunga-sana,) who was distinguished in attire from all his fellosvs by the 

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

 Bents from the whites. 



One of our party gave a favorable account of the 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 bevvildered he was unable to find his way 

 back to camp. He thu^wandered for four successive days, unarmed, with 

 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 forlorn condition, taken him to the village, 

 upon his own liorse, 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 aff)rded, and, when sufficiently recovered, he was escorted to the 

 nearest station of the whites. 



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

 and grecLed his protege with much cordiality. 



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

 exclusively Frenchmen, or imiiviJuals speiiking the French language, receives the 

 appellatit)!! of Wah-ceichri. or the l^ad-nK-dicine company, — a phrase uuiver?ally ap 

 pj\«<] to the French anrJiig tl.e, moumuiii trilxifi. 



