Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONUL ORGANIZATION 377 



On Buffalo sang his songs and said, "You have heard this man speaking. 

 When you get back tell my people that I died bravely while defending this wounded 

 man." 



He stuck his society staff in the ground and made his stand there. He wounded 

 some of the enemies but they were too numerous. He pulled up his staff and 

 carried the wounded man back, but the enemies rushed him and finally shot and 

 killed him. Many others were killed in Yellow Hawk's party and when he 

 reached the village the people said that he had "kicked the stone." 



When On Buffalo's relatives heard of his bravery, the father wept, cut his 

 hair off, stuck arrows through his flesh, and went through the village singing. 

 The mother cut herself and wore short dresses. Many others mourned, for On 

 Buffalo was so brave. Even the dogs howled. 



Roadmaker became angry and said, "The people up at Hidatsa village may be 

 wondering what I am going to do about it." The man defended by On Buffalo 

 was named Young Buffalo and belonged to the same clan, the Waterbusters, as 

 did Roadmaker. Roadmaker announced that he was going out to war and that 

 he would destroy 15 tipis. 



He went north with a large force. Before leaving, he talked to the Grand- 

 father snake who Hved in the Missouri River saying, "Grandfather, I am going 

 out into enemy territory. I am angry for they killed my brother; I want to kill 

 the enemy and I want your help. When I come back I will have a scalp for you." 



The large snake promised him success, saying, "When you get to the enemy 

 and have killed them, an otter skin will be found and presented to you. It will 

 be a large tanned one. Take it and wear it as a cap with the tail to the side. 

 Use it in saving the people when they are sick. Then you will become a great 

 doctor. When you get back to the village you must pledge the 'Ceremony to 

 the Water People.' " 



Roadmaker and his party set out. The first night in camp a count was made 

 and it was found that there were 452 warriors. They represented the five Hidatsa 

 and Mandan villages. Among them was a man who wore tanned bangs from 

 the buffalo which he used as a cap. This man, named Foolish Eagle, would say, 

 "When you find the enemy, I will be the first to strike him" and when the men 

 were roasting ribs he would say the same and strike the ribs. Then the camp 

 tenders would give him the ribs. At other times he would say, "Those enemies 

 must have guns, bows, and arrows to fight with. If I am killed, I will be home 

 before you are." 



The next day the war party went on. Roadmaker belonged to the Water- 

 buster clan so he selected a crier from this clan. He instructed the crier to line 

 up the 40 scouts and selected the best as the number was too large. The 40 

 ran and the first 20 to reach the line were selected to serve with Bull Looks, a 

 Waterbuster clansman, who had been appointed by Roadmaker before they left 

 home. This leader ran with them and called out "hoo" four times to make 

 them run faster. 



Roadmaker moved his party at night and traveled that way four times. On 

 the next morning his scouts came back and reported that they had found 15 tipis 

 and that it looked as though the people were preparing to move camp. 



Roadmaker said, "We will form here and, when they are opposite us, we will 

 make the charge." 



Foolish Eagle was on the left side with his group from Hidatsa, Stirrup was on 

 the right with his group from Awatixa, and a Mandan named Whistling Ghost 

 who had married an Awaxawi woman and was living at Awaxawi took the central 



