m.ylleky] NOTICE OF DIRECTION. 151 



The following is extracted from an Account of au Expedition from 

 Pittsburgh to the Eocky Mountains, * * under the command of 

 Major Stephen H. Long [commonly known as James' Long's Expedi- 

 tion]. Philadelphia, 18:33. Vol. I, p. 478. 



At a little distance [on the bank of the, Platte River], in front of the entrance of this 

 breastwork, was a semicircular row of sixteen bison skulls, with their noses pointing 

 down the river. Near the center of the circle which this row would describe, if con- 

 tinued, was another skull marked with a number of red lines. 



Our interpreter informed us that this arrangement of skulls and other marks here 

 discovered, were designed to communicate the following information, namely, that 

 the camp had been occupied by a war party of the Skeeree or Pawnee Loup Indians, 

 who had lately come from au excursion against the CiiLuaucias, Ietans, or some of the 

 ■western tribes. The number of red lines traced on the painted skull indicated the 

 number of the party to have been thirty-six; the position in which the skulls were 

 placed, that they were on their return to their own country. Two small rods stuck 

 in the ground, with a few hairs tied in two parcels to the end of each, signified that 

 four scalps had been taken. 



When a hunting party of the Hidatsa has arrived at any temporary 

 camping ground, from which point a portion of the members might leave 

 on a short reconnoitering expedition, the remainder, upon leaving for a 

 time, will erect a pole and cause it to lean in the direction taken. At 

 the foot of this pole a buffalo shoulder-blade or other flat bone is placed, 

 upon which is depicted the object causing departure. For instance, 

 should buffalo or antelope be discovered, an animal of the character 

 sighted is rudely drawn with a piece of charred wood or red lead, the 

 latter being a substance in the possession of nearly every warrior to 

 use in facial decoration, etc. 



When a Hidatsa party has gone on the war path, and a certain num- 

 ber is detailed to take another direction, the point of separation is 

 taken as the rendezvous. After the return of the first party to the 

 rendezvous, should the second not come up in a reasonable length of 

 time, they will set sticks in the ground leaning in the direction to be 

 taken, and notches are cut into the upper ends of the sticks to repre- 

 sent the number of nights spent there by the waiting party. 



A party of Hidatsa who may be away from home for any purpose 

 whatever often appoint a rendezvous, from which point they return to 

 their respective lodges. Should an individual return to the rendezvous 

 before any others and wish to make a special trip for game or plunder, 

 he will, for the information of the others, place a stick of about 3 or 4 

 feet in length in the ground, upon the upper end of which a notch is 

 cut, or perhaps split, for the reception of a thinner piece of twig or 

 branch having a length of about a foot. This horizontal top piece is 

 inserted at one end, so that the whole may point in the direction to be 

 taken. Should the person wish to say that the trail would turn at a 

 right angle, to either side, at about one-half the distance of the whole 

 journey in prospect, the horizontal branch is either bent in that direc- 

 tion or a naturally-curved branch is selected having the turn at the 

 middle of its entire length, thus corresponding to the turn in the trail. 

 Any direction can be indicated by curves in the top branch. 



