544 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [eth. ANN. 46 



Fishing 

 These tribes take no fish in quantity by any means whatever. 



War 



The raising of a war party is always a subject of discussion in the 

 soldiers' lodge, not to choose the persons, but whether the time is 

 suitable; if men, arms, and ammunition can be spared from camp, 

 or if they are required for defense ; if it is advisable to keep up the 

 war ; how they are situated with regard to their enemies as to local- 

 ity, numbers, and general prospects of success as presented at the 

 time. It being determined in favor of hostilities, the partisan sol- 

 dier or chief who intends leading the expedition proceeds to fast, 

 sacrifice, and dream in the manner before pointed out in these pages, 

 and having had favorable visions makes a feast of dog in his own 

 lodge, and invites thereto the persons he wishes to accompany him, 

 opening to them the object and plan of the expedition, after the 

 feast has been concluded. Should he not be able to obtain a sufficient 

 number of recruits in this way he sends runners with tobacco to 

 other camps conveying an invitation to join within a given time. 



War is made either to steal horses from their enemies or to take 

 their scalps. For the first object but few people are required, as con- 

 cealment and avoiding battle is aimed at, and parties for this pur- 

 pose are comprised of from 10 to 30 men, whereas a party starting 

 expressly for battle often contains two, three, or four hundred war- 

 riors. We will endeavor to follow up the first description of parties, 

 supposing stealing horses to be the object, which is the most common 

 kind of war excursions. The partisan or captain, as has been 

 stated, after dreaming, sacrificing, etc., to Wakonda, the Sun, and 

 Thunder, makes his last offering, consisting of some scarlet cloth 

 and tobacco, to the Wolves, which are considered the war fetishes, 

 and viewed in the light of the special Gods of War. The day for 

 starting being appointed, all his followers are assembled the night 

 before, when the business is again considered, and they consent "to 

 follow him as the leader during the time they are out, obey his in- 

 structions, without, however, acknowledging any right in him to 

 punish in case of disobedience, also reserving to themselves the priv- 

 ilege of leaving him at any time and under any circumstances they 

 think proper. 



It is a voluntary action and those who will not obey or are dis- 

 satisfied leave and return home at any stage of the march, but do 

 not separate and remain to thwart the intentions of the others. No 

 harm being done by their desertion, no punishment follows. At all 

 events he is obliged to be contented with these precarious terms of 

 enlistment. The night previous to their departure they assemble 



