FIGHT BETWEEN THE OMAHAS AND THE DAKOTAS. 431 
indeed, that it is said, ‘They will surely come.’” The Omahas made the embankment. 
And they planted the tent-poles all along it, interweaving them. Then they placed 
outside of these the tent-skins, all along the embankment, one after another, as far as 
they would go. “He says that day is at hand, and that you will do your best. He 
says, indeed, that they have come,” said the crier. The night scouts were continually 
arriving there, having heard the noise made by the feet of the coming foe. “ He says, 
indeed, that you will do your best. You have none to help you. You will lie with all 
your weapons in readiness. You will fill your guns with powder. They have come, 
indeed,” said the crier. 
The day came forth. They charged on us in coming this way; they made the 
ground resound all around as they ran. Some of the horses from this place broke 
their lariats and ran; they ran around us. The Dakotas carried homeward the horses 
which arrived outside by running. A white man joined the hunting party and was 
among the Omahas during the fight. They carried off his horse too. His name was Mr. 
Reed. He continued saying, ‘The Dakotas will give me my horse again;” but there 
was not the slightest prospect of that. In about half an hour they contended with us 
all around the lodges. By and by the Omahas were driven back into their lodges; 
they were coming back right along to the rear. The Dakotas shot at random when 
they sbot at the lodges. They killed many horses. The arrows of the Dakotas came 
regularly to the lodges. The Omahas cut holes in the tent-skins, and when the 
Dakotas came in sight the Omahas shot away at them. The Dakotas killed an Omaha, 
Two Crows’ elder brother, in that manner. He cut a large hole in a tent-skin and 
peeped out. At length he was wounded right in the forehead. His name was U¢uci- 
najit (Stands-at-the-front). When they walked on the outside of the embankment, an 
Omaha who wore a wolf-skin was hit. ‘Buzzard is wounded,” they said. And another 
was wounded when they walked outside. ‘Big Kettle is wounded,” they said. A 
third was ga¢i"-na"paji (He-who-fears-not-a-Pawnee). When Mandan heard that he 
had been wounded, he went thither, and was wounded himself, in the leg, below the 
knee. “Mandan is wounded,” they said. When the Dakotas shot at Mandan, they 
made him fall suddenly. They dragged off any of the Dakotas who had been killed; 
having put ropes around their necks, they made the horses drag them away. But 
now, at length, they were not approaching. They ceased fighting. Two Dakotas had 
been killed at the front. The Omahas rushed on them, and cut up the bodies on reach- 
ing them; they cut them in many pieces, and threw them back at the enemy, who 
went homeward crying. And the Dakotas reached a place again, carrying the bodies 
of their fallen comrades. They danced the Mandan dance at the very large tent. 
They caused all the dead Dakotas to sit in the middle. Having made them hold deer- 
claw rattles on their arms, they made them sit as if they were singing. They sat sing- 
ing with them. In fact, they caused all the dead to sit in the tent. When they had 
opened the tent, and had put it over the poles, without delay they weighted down 
the sides with sods. When they finished it, they fled homeward. They said, ‘The 
Omahas will come,” therefore the Dakotas fled homeward. And among the Omahas 
they buried their own dead. He-janka-yaiga (Big-forked-horn) had been wounded 
right in the neck and killed. Wanukige was wounded in the foot. Agaha-wacuce 
was wounded and was killed at once. I°c‘age-wahi¢e was wounded in the leg, and 
aa¢i" gahige (Pawnee chief-who-keeps-a-sacred-pipe) on the head. 
