324 CALENDAR HISTORY OF THE KIOWA [eth.ann. 17 



cresceut. Stumbling'-bear, who was in the flglit, as was also Auko, 

 went back shortly afterward to bury bis remains. He found a beaten 

 circle around the skeleton of Set-daya-ite, as though the Ute had 

 danced around his dead body. 



The Ute carried the taime with them to their own country, but mis- 

 fortune went with it. The sou of its capturer was shortly afterward 

 killed in a fight with the Cheyenne, and soon after that the custodian 

 himself was killed by a stroke of lightning. Afraid to keep longer 

 such "bad medicine," they brought both images down to the trader 

 Maxwell, in New Mexico, who placed them on a shelf in his store, where 

 they remained in plain view for a long time, but were finally lost. The 

 Ute left word with Maxwell that the Kiowa, if they came for the images, 

 might have them, on payment of a specified number of ponies. For 

 some reason the Kiowa did not come — perhaps because they were afraid 

 to trust themselves so far in their enemies' country. 



While the sacred images were on Maxwell's shelf they were seen by 

 a brother of George Bent, of the noted pioneer trading family, from 

 whom the author obtained a description of their appearance. They 

 were two small carved stonesor ])etrifactions, the taime proper having 

 the shape of a man's head and bust, and was decorated and painted. 

 The other resembled in form a bear's kidney. While in New Mexico 

 some years ago the author made diligent inquiry among Maxwell's former 

 business associates concerning the images, but found no one who could 

 throw any light upon their whereabouts. In 1893 Bigbow and some 

 others of the tribe visited the Ute, chiefly for the purpose of ascertain- 

 ing the fate of the taime, not knowing that it had passed out of their 

 possession. They learned nothing, however-, as they asked no direct 

 questions concerning it and the Ute volunteered no information. This 

 was the first friendly meeting between the two tribes, although as early 

 as 1873 the Kiowa chiefs in council had made an urgent request to the 

 agent that some good white man should be sent with them to make 

 peace with the Ute {Battel/, IS). 



When the news of the defeat reached them, the Kiowa were encamped 

 on the Arkansas, near Fort Larned, where at that time they drew their 

 government issues. They at once moved down to the Washita and 

 encamped adjoining the Cheyenne village under Black-kettle, on the 

 western border of Oklahoma. This village was soon after destroyed by 

 Custer. About this time steps were taken to confine the confederated 

 tribes to the reservation assigned them by the late treaty, which was 

 soon after accomplished, and as a people the Kiowa never again went 

 back to the neighborhood of Arkansas river. 



The only official reference to this fight, if indeed it does refer to it. is 

 the incidental mention in a letter of about June 20 that an appoint- 

 ment by the agent for the Ute and Jicarilla Apache had been jiostponed 

 in consequence of the absence of Kaneatche, who was away and had 

 had a fight with the Kiowa and Comanche {Report, 88). Kaneatche, 



