Rocky Mountains. 297 



cated by the representation of the dropping of blood from 

 the part; an arrow wound, by adding a line for the arrow, 

 from which the Indian is able to estimate, with some accura- 

 cy, its direction, and the depth to which it entered. The 

 killed are represented by prostrate lines ; equestrians are also 

 particularized, and if wounded or killed, they are seen to 

 spout blood, or to be in the act of falling from their horses. 

 Prisoners are denoted by their being led, and the number of 

 captured horses is made known by the number of lunules, 

 representing their track- The number of guns taken, may 

 be ascertained by bent lines, on the angle of which is some- 

 thing like the prominences of the lock. Women are por- 

 trayed with short petticoats, and prominent breasts, and un- 

 married females by the short queues at the ears, before des- 

 cribed. 



A war party, on its return, generally halts upon some ele- 

 vated ground, within sight of the village ; and if they have 

 been successful, they sit down and smoke their pipes. The 

 villagers on discovering them, rush out to meet them, and 

 receive a brief relation of the events, that have'occurred dur- 

 ing the expedition. 



All then return to the village, exhibiting by the way, the 

 greatest demonstrations of joy, by discharging their guns, 

 singing war songs, &c. The scalps, stretched upon hoops, 

 and dried, are carried upon rods of five or six feet in length. 



Arrived at the village, some of the squaws, wives to the 

 warriors of the party, assume the dress of their husbands, 

 and, with the rods bearing the scalps in their hands, dance 

 around a large post, reddened with Vermillion, and, in concert 

 with the young warriors, sing the war and scalp songs ; the 

 young warriors occasionally step into the ring of the dancers, 

 and all keep time, with dance and song, to the loud beat of 

 the gong. Into this dance are also admitted the relatives of 

 the war party. 



This barbarous dance appears to delight them, and par- 



vol. i. 38 



