2738 WAR-COUNCIL. 
tion to their timidity, they are restrained by 
the fact that the loss of a man often casts a 
gloom upon the most brilliant victory, and 
throws a whole clan into mourning. On this 
account they generally attack by surprise, and 
in the night, when all are presumed to be 
asleep; having care, if against a formidable 
enemy, that it be long enough before the 
morning dawn to allow them to retire beyond 
reach of pursuit before daylight. When the 
moon rises at a late hour, just before she ap- 
pears, is a favorite time; for then they will 
have a gleam of light by which to collect and 
drive off the prize of stock which they may 
be able to frighten away. These prowling 
parties around a camp sometimes employ a 
species of signals in imitation of wolves, owls 
and other nocturnal animals, by which they 
communicate with each other—mimicking 
so to the life as not to give alarm to unsus- 
pecting travellers. 
ar is seldom concluded upon, or even a 
campaign undertaken, without a general coun- 
cil, in which all the chiefs and most distin- 
guished braves and sages assemble. After 
are seated in a circle, the pipe is passed around 
until their brains are sufficiently soothed to 
enable them to consult the Great Spirit, and 
take freely into advisement the important 
matters under consideration. Therefore the 
tobacco smoke is usually blown upwards, as 
a propitiatory incense to the invoked spirits 
or genii who dwell ‘upon the sky.’ In this 
operation the smoke is generally a ied into 
