58 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BuU. 194 



were great. He received credit for all enemies killed during the 

 winter, but he was likewise held responsible for any killed by the 

 enemy even though it was not customary for the winter camp chief 

 to engage in active warfare except when the village was attacked. 



About the year 1863, Cherries-in-Mouth was winter camp leader. 

 He had fasted much and had been given credit, as war leader, for five 

 Sioux kUled a few years earlier in a winter battle at Saddle Buttes. 

 During this battle Red Leaf had been shot through the lungs but had 

 recovered. In 1863, however, Red Leaf overexerted himself while 

 hunting, and the old wound opened causing him to bleed to death. 

 This was considered equivalent to losing a man in warfare and the 

 death went against Cherries-in-Mouth's record. 



The winter camp leader was selected by the council on the basis of 

 his military record, interest in public matters, participation in village 

 and tribal rites, generosity and kindness to the old, good judgment, 

 and personality. Ownership of winter buffalo-calling rites and good 

 standing with the various households were of importance, for the 

 leader must have the confidence of the people. He could direct the 

 buffalo-calling rites personally, or he might cooperate with others 

 having a good reputation in "bringing the buffaloes." Likewise, he 

 must have the good will of the households or the population would 

 be likely to break up into smaller camps. Since much good will was 

 obtained by generosity, selfish persons or those with an unhappy 

 home were disregarded. Humility when selected was a prime virtue 

 as the leader was expected, by custom, to express his own incompe- 

 tence without the assistance of his sacred bundles and the advice and 

 assistance of the older men. The leader's lodge became a meeting 

 place for the village dignitaries to eat and sleep while discussing 

 matters for the good of the group. The leader selected his own an- 

 nouncer, a clansman, usually an older and distinguished individual 

 who had acted as assistant in many ceremonies. There were few 

 rules, but those that were made were enforced by the Black Mouths. 

 It was customary for the sinnmer village leaders to rest from their 

 summer duties and to relinquish their responsibilities to the newly 

 selected leaders. 



Nowhere in the Hidatsa cultm-e do we find clear-cut distinctions 

 between military aspects and village or peace functions — war chiefs 

 performed numerous rites and village chiefs often went on military 

 expeditions — but winter camp leadership was more clearly indicated 

 as an extension of the role of peace or village chief to the winter camp, 

 for this was a period of Httle mihtary activity. 



The Hidatsa relied heavily on the winter buffalo migrations onto 



