282 



CALENDAR HISTORY OP THE KIOWA 



[ETH. ANN. 17 



WINTER 1844-45 



Fig 91— Winter 



1844-45— A'tahii- 

 ik'l killed. 



first attack 



A'-tahd-iJc'i Uhotal-de Sai, "Winter that War-bonuet-man was 

 killed." The figure shows a mau wearing a war-bonnet (a'-tahd-i) and 

 with a wound in his breast. He is further distinguished by the crosses 

 (stars) with which his war shirt is ornamented. This '' medicine shirt" 

 was covered with dark-blue stars, with a green moon in 

 front, in addition to which lie wore a fine war-bonnet. 

 He was also called Set-k'(')dalte, " Bear-neck." 



The brother of Zejiko-eete (Big-bow, grandfather of 

 the present old Big-bow, from whom he takes his name) 

 had been killed in Tamaulipas, and at the last sun dance 

 Big-bow had "given the pipe" to the Kiowa and their 

 allies to revenge him. A large party of over two hundred 

 warriors, including a number of Apache and Comanche, 

 set out under Big-bow, and after crossing the liio Grande 



I and approaching the Salado (Seii P^a, "Cactus river") 



they reached a stone fort, in which a small number of 

 Mexicans, not soldiers, had taken refuge. The Mexi- 

 cans had with them their families, also two Indians, who 

 wore feather crests upon their heads. The fort was so 

 provided with loo]jholes that they could fire upon the 

 attacking party, themselves remaining concealed. The 

 was repulsed, and A'-taha-iki was killed; but the 

 besiegers succeeded in piling wood against the log walls of the fort and 

 setting fire to it, when all the defenders were either burned or killed as 

 they tried to escape. A'dalpepte took iiart in this aflair. After this 

 fight the Kiowa warriors went farther into Mexico and had another 

 encounter, in which Big-bow, the leader, was killed, in 

 consequence of which the war party returned home. 



" Giving the pipe " is the ceremonial way of enlisting 

 recruits for a large war party. For small expeditions 

 the invitation is given as described in treating of the 

 Oua-ddgya (winter 1862-63). At the time of the annual 

 summer assemblage for the sun dance the organizer of fio. 92— Giving the 

 the expedition, who must necessarily be a person of patotecaTT""' 

 some prominence, sends a pipe to the leaders of each 

 of the principal warrior orders — Kd'ttscill-o, T^diipelo, etc — in turn. 

 If these leaders sanction the enteri^rise, they themselves smoke and 

 present the pipe to the members of their orders at their next meeting, 

 and all who smoke engage themselves bj' this act to join the exxiedition 

 at the time appointed by the original giver of the pipe. JSTo one is 

 obliged to smoke against his will, but when a sufiflcient number have 

 determined upon the expedition, it takes x^recedence of all others, and 

 no other parties or individuals may start out against the enemy in any 

 direction until this expedition is concluded. 



