42 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



camp took precedence over all other males. Unlike the winter chief, 

 who was appointed annually and rarely succeeded himself, the prin- 

 cipal war chief continued as long as he retained the good will and 

 respect of the entire community. When dissatisfaction developed, 

 the tactful chief invited in those who expressed opposition to him 

 in an effort to dissipate conflict, showed other evidences of generosity 

 and good will, or suggested that others take over his work. He was 

 still an important member of the council. In any event, when the 

 principal war chief grew old he tactfully relinquished his position to 

 a younger man who had passed Black Mouth age. 



When Missouri River grew old and his Waterbuster clan or Skull 

 bundle was relinquished to Small Ankles, the latter never attained 

 the eminence of the former owner. The top ceremonial leadership 

 reverted to the system formerly in practice at Hidatsa and Awaxawi 

 where the principal role was delegated to the owner of the Earth- 

 naming bundle. Since, with the union of the Hidatsa-proper and 

 Awaxawi, two bundles were in existence, complications developed. 

 Guts, who came from Hidatsa village, was a much older man than 

 Poor Wolf, the bundle owner from Awaxawi, and should have held 

 seniority, but he had the reputation of bringing bad luck to all war 

 parties he accompanied. None would follow him as war leader 

 and the warriors tried to keep him from accompanying them. In 

 time, people thought that he had committed some errors when buying 

 the bundle and his prestige was very low indeed, however hard he 

 tried to win successes in warfare. Poor Wolf, the other bundle owner, 

 although a younger man, had some military successes. He was 

 always kind to the old and the poor, and had bought rights in this and 

 several other bundles. He was active in many additional ceremonies 

 and showed great interest in the people's welfare. He was selected 

 as principal village chief after he had shown good judgment while 

 serving as one of the leaders of the Black Mouth or police society. With 

 the death of Four Bears and the selection of Crows Paunch as war 

 chief. Poor Wolf became the village chief over the objections of the 

 younger men still in the Black Mouth society. Guts then relinquished 

 his rights in the Earthnaming bundle to his son, Bobtail Bull, of the 

 younger set who had a good reputation in every way and none of the 

 bad luck that had plagued his father. Bobtail Bull was very popular 

 with his own age-grade group and was a recognized leader of the 

 younger "set" as Poor Wolf was of the next older age-group. As 

 holder of the Earthnaming bundle of the former Hidatsa village on the 

 Knife, he was held in high respect by those formerly belonging to that 

 village. By tribal custom when all other things were equal, prece- 

 dence was given to age. Poor Wolf rightfully occupied a position 

 superior to Bobtail BuU, who was some 10 years younger, but each 



