450 THE (EGIHA LANGUAGE—MYTHS, STORIES, AND LETTERS. 
had been absent but a short time, they returned. At dark we reached another place, 
having arrived again at the crooked branch, up towards its head. When we reached 
it again, we sent two scouts down-stream. As they went, they came very suddenly 
upon twelve Dakota tents. Then the scouts were returning tous. ‘There they come! 
there they come! there they come!” We threw ourselves down to hide. At length 
the scouts came back. ‘O war-chief! we discovered them. Twelve lodges departed,” 
said they. We were coming back (i. e., down the crooked branch), following the trail 
of the foe. At length we reached the place where the twelve Dakota tents had been 
pitched, when it was altogether deserted. They had gone, but the coals of the camp- 
fires were still very bright. ‘We will pursue them for a part of the night,” said we. 
These Dakotas had gone down-streain till they met the rest of their people who had 
our horses. We overtook them just at midnight. ‘‘Ho! warriors, I suspect that the old 
men at home are exhorting us. Ho! warriors, let us overtake them before this night 
ends. Do make a desperate effort. I suspect that your grandparents are yearning for 
you. I think that they are saying about you, ‘When shall he come in sight after so long 
an absence? What are you doing that you are continuing so long away from the lodge?’” 
We kept in pursuit along the road. The scouts went and returned without finding 
any one. When we forded the small stream which went aside from the creek, and had 
reached the other side, one of the war-chiefs said, ‘‘ Warriors, I will smoke.” It was 
Agaha-mat¢i®. We sat, putting on our moccasins after wading. Agaha-ma?¢i" said, 
“Put on the moccasins hastily.” ‘Ho! warriors, when you finish smoking, you may 
come. I, for my part, will go as ascout,” said I. I followed the road. Iran a little, now 
and then. The long line of trees made a dark shadow in the distance. When I drew 
very near, the horses followed the road, and came directly to me, and I drove them before 
mine, and was bringing them back to our men. I myself recovered the Omaha horses. 
I brought them very near to those who were sitting, and made them stand there motion- 
less. Then I went to the men. I ran a little, now and then. I went back to these 
who were sitting, having been very close to them. They had not yet stirred at all; 
they were still smoking. ‘‘Ho! warriors and war-chiefs, you are sitting still. Some 
persons are coming back along the road,” said I. ‘‘ Why! warrior, what can be the 
matter? In what direction can we go after sitting here so long?” said they. isaid as 
follows: ‘¢O warriors and war-chiefs, [ brought some of them back a great while ago.” 
“Thanks! O war-chief! thanks! O war-chief! thanks! O war-chief!” they said, as they 
extended the palms of their hands toward me. ‘ We shall indeed come home without 
having our toes ache us from too much walking.” “Tie them! tie them!” said I. They 
threw lariats over the horses’ heads, and tied their lower jaws. ‘Ho! warriors, let all 
of you sit here and keep them together. Warriors and war-chiefs, they did not detect 
me at all. Let us do it again to them,” said I. The rest of them, who were the serv- 
ants of the war-chiefs, tied the horses, and sat motionless as they held them. 
“Ho! war-chief, let us two go thither,” said I. Then we two went thither. It was 
dark, yet we bowed our heads repeatedly as we went. They had camped just so, in a line. 
“OQ war-chief, you will go to the tent at the other end of the row,” said I. ‘Yes, I will 
go thither; but how about you, to what one will you go?” said he. ‘O war-chief, I will 
go to the tent at the other end,” said I. ‘‘ No matter what happens, I shall reach home 
with some of them.” I went thither. Behold, the horses were fastened just by the 
door. J arrived there. As the horses perceived that I had a different odor, they fled, 
