Rocky Mountains. 135 



The Indians who committed this robbery, were a war party 

 of the Republican Pawnees, and were about one hundred and 

 forty in number. Their nation was at war with the Konzas. 



Mr. Say's party were kindly received at the village they 

 had left on the preceding day. In the evening they had re- 

 tired to rest in the lodge set apart for their accommodation, 

 when they were alarmed by a party of savages, rushing in 

 armed with bows, arrows and lances, shouting and yelling in 

 a most frightful manner. The gentlemen of the party had im- 

 mediate recourse to their arms, but observing that some 

 squaws, who were in the lodge, appeared unmoved, they be- 

 gan to suspect that no molestation to them was intended. The 

 Indians collected around the lire in the centre of the lodge, 

 yelling incessantly; at length their howlings assumed some- 

 thing of a measured tone, and they began to accompany 

 their voices with a sort of drum and rattles. After singing 

 for some time, one who appeared to be their leader, struck 

 the post over the fire with his lance, and they all began to 

 dance, keeping very exact time with the music. Each war- 

 rior had, besides his arms, and rattles made of strings of 

 deer's hoofs, some part of the intestines of an animal inflated, 

 and inclosing a few small stones, which produced a sound 

 like pebbles in a gourd shell. After dancing round the fire 

 for some time, without appearing to notice the strangers, they 

 departed, raising the same wolfish howl, with which they had 

 entered ; but their music and their yelling continued to be 

 heard about the village during the night. 



This ceremony, called the dog dance, was performed by 

 the Konzas for the entertainment of their guests. Mr. Sey- 

 mour took an opportunity to sketch the attitudes and dresses 

 of the principal figures. See the annexed plate. 



Finding it impracticable to obtain horses by purchase, out 

 of their almost exhausted stock of merchandize, to enable 

 them to prosecute their march to Council Bluff, after due de- 

 liberation, they saw no alternative, but to endeaveur to hire 



