378 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



position.' When the enemy was opposite them, Roadmaker gave the signal. 

 FooUsh Eagle was first to strike an enemy, Whistling Ghost was first for the central 

 group, and Stirrup was first of his group. They killed all the enemies and took 

 their horses and other property. 



Roadmaker moved his camp and they stopped for the noon meal and to rest. 

 He called his criers and said, "There was an otter skin that was promised me by 

 'Grandfather' and I need that." 



The criers went through the camp telling all that they must look for an otter 

 skin because Roadmaker wanted it to wear on his head while he sang the 

 Victory songs. 



There were two young boys who were taken prisoners in the fight and the older 

 men met and decided that the boys were old enough to remember what had 

 happened to their people and that it would not be wise to take them into the 

 villages. When they grew up they might do damage or run away with horses 

 and return to their own people. The old men decided to turn them over to the 

 Black Mouths. Since it was not customary to kill a person who had been taken 

 into camp, the Black Mouths went to the boys and told them to go back to their 

 own country. The boys started out and, when they were some distance from 

 the camp, the Black Mouths pursued and killed them. 



The camp moved again, and the next day at noon Roadmaker said, "I have 

 prayed to 'Grandfather' that none of my people would be shot or killed. As 

 you all know, I have not lost a man. My 'Grandfather' promised me the otter 

 skin saying, 'It will be the largest one with beaver claws sewed on the mouth.' 

 That skin must be in this camp somewhere and the person having it should have 

 given it to me. The criers announced this yesterday. It has not been found. 

 Whoever has that skin can keep it now for it is a good skin. Whoever he is, he 

 will not live very long. We will take his body out and place it on some of these 

 hills here in enemy territory where he will be lonely. We will put the otter skin 

 beside liis body and leave him alone with his skin." 



When this information was announced through the camp, and while the Old 

 Wolves were gathered smoking, a man stepped forward and threw the skin before 

 the men saying, "There is the skin." 



Roadmaker opened the bundle and found that it was the skin he had been 

 promised. It was the largest one he had ever seen. It had large beaver claws 

 fastened to the mouth so that when it was shaken, they rattled. He had bluffed 

 the man and thus secured his skin. He put it on his head as a cap -with, the tail 

 hanging to one side over his shoulder, blackened his staff, and tied to it the three 

 scalps taken by FooUsh Eagle, Whistling Ghost, and Stirrup. 



He sang his Victory songs, calling the names of those who had struck the enemy. 

 Because there were so many, he called out only their names and the villages they 

 came from. He mounted his horse and rode through the camp calling the names 

 of those who had been bravest. Then the party started for home. On the way 

 home they killed buffaloes and all were happy. 



They had guns at this time. Most of the guns were brought in by the Chippewa 

 from the northeast and traded for robes and corn. These people would come down 

 to the villages with dog teams and sleds, rarely with horses, as they did not have 

 many and were afraid of having them taken away from them by their enemies 

 along the way. 



The party traveled all night in order to reach the opposite bank of the Missouri 

 near the villages where they howled so all could hear them. When it was daylight, 

 the people could see them waving the scalps. They brought bullboats across to 



• Note the division of warriors based on villages. 



