Rocky Mountains. 197 



They reared their spears against the tree, with apparent 

 carelessness and indifference, and took their seats in the form 

 of a semicircle on the ground. Having staked our horses 

 in the rear, and stationed the men to protect them and the 

 baggage, we seated ourselves, and circulated the pipe as 

 usual. But as the party opposed to us was nearly quadruple 

 our number, we did not choose to follow their example, in 

 relinquishing our arms, but grasped them securely in our 

 hands, and retained a cautious attitude. 



Bijeau ascertained that they were a Shienne war party on 

 their return from an expedition against the Pawnee Loups. 

 They had killed one squaw, whose scalp was suspended to 

 the spear of the partizan or leader of the party, the handle 

 of which was decorated with strips of red and white cloth, 

 beads, and tail-plumes of the war-eagle. He also informed 

 us that he recognized several of them, particularly a chief 

 who sat next to him, whose person, himself and party had 

 formerly seized upon, and detained as a hostage for the re- 

 covery of some horses that had been stolen. The chief, how- 

 ever, did not now betray any symptoms of a disposition to 

 retaliate for that act, though, without doubt, he regarded us 

 as in his pov/er. 



Our interpreter readily conversed with them, through the 

 medium of a Crow prisoner, whose language he partially un- 

 derstood. 



The partizan, who killed the victim of this excursion, 

 and two others, one of whom first struck the dead body, and 

 the other who took off the scalp, were painted deep black 

 with charcoal, and almost the entire body being exposed, 

 rendered the effect more impressive. One of the latter, a 

 tall athletic figure, remained standing behind us, and refused 

 to smoke when the pipe was offered to him, alledging as an 

 excuse, the obligation of a vow he had made against the use 

 of tobacco on the decease of his late father. 



We now drew upon our little stores of merchandize for two 



