CHAPTER XIV. 



War — Negotiation for peace — Revenge— Self-esteem— Hospi- 

 tality — Mimickry. 



An individual warrior not unfrequently goes to war un- 

 accompanied ; but parties are generally made up for this pur- 

 pose, in the manner before mentioned. In cases of extraor- 

 dinary provocation, the whole nation of warriors, marches 

 in a body to attack the enemy, under the direction of the 

 principal chief. 



More than twenty years ago, the Omawhaws marched 

 against the Pawnee Mahas or Pawnee Loups. They en- 

 countered them on their hunting grounds, between the Platte 

 and Quicourre rivers, in the prairie, where they attacked 

 them, killed sixty, and wounded a great many ; after securing 

 a number of prisoners, and many horses, they returned with 

 their booty, having lost but fifteen warriors. Peace was 

 soon after concluded between the two nations, which has not 

 been since violated, excepting on one occassion, when their 

 dispute was bloodless, and but of short duration. 



Sometime after this event, Mot-tschu-jinga or the Little 

 grizzly bear, a brave and distinguished warrior of the nation, 

 with two or three attendants, visited the village of the Paw- 

 nee republicans, in order to perform the calumet dance be- 

 fore the people. This was a band with whom they were 

 barely at peace. The republicans siezed him, flogged him, 

 cut off his hair, broke his pipe, forced him to drink urine 

 mixed with bison gall, and drove him from the village with- 

 out food. These extraordinary and most humiliating indig- 

 nities, aroused within him, the fiercest spirit of vengeance. 

 He returned, and related his misfortune to his people, who, 



