RECREA TION. 



57 



subsistence for their herds being the 

 twigs and bark of the young cottonwood. 

 " Medicine " was now made for a suc- 

 cessful buffalo hunt. The game was 

 finally discovered near the camp, having 

 been driven northward by the prairie 

 fires. Their appearance was hailed with 

 delight and immediately announced by 

 the old camp criers to all the hunters of 

 the tribe, who were directed to assemble 

 and start early the next morning in the 

 direction from which the herds were 

 approaching. In many of the hunts 

 that followed I gladly joined the Indians; 

 the result of such a day's work being 



MO-HEE, CHEYENNE WARRIOR AND MEDICINE 



MAN. 



that the herd of two, three or five hun- 

 dred head would generally be com- 

 pletely surrounded and every animal 

 killed. Towards nightfall many a small 

 pony would be seen staggering into 

 camp, covered with a mountain of 

 meat, with the fresh buffalo hide thrown 

 over it and a Cheyenne hunter sitting 

 on top of all ! For the next week the 

 squaws of the entire camp would be 

 busy as beavers, stretching, dressing 

 and tanning the hides ; while the 

 "bucks " would feast, smoke and sleep 

 in their tepees in dignified laziness, or in 

 preparation for the next hunt. 



In one of these " surrounds " I had a 

 narrow escape, by following too far a 

 remnant of the herd that had eluded 

 us. I was accompanied by my trum- 

 peter and a couple of Cheyennes, all 

 equally interested in the chase. As we 

 started to return at the close of the 

 day, we found the prairie between us 

 and our camp in flames — evidently fired 

 by prowling Arapahoes — and the line of 

 fire advancing rapidly in our direction. 

 We could do nothing but ride straight 

 for it and dash through. The fire was 

 so close to the narrow buffalo trail, in 

 which we were riding, as to burn the 

 legs of our horses and scorch our gar- 

 ments, besides blackening and choking 

 us with the smoke. 



In the beginning of April the Indians 

 decided that as a full supply of robes 

 and dried meat had been laid in the 

 would start toward the agency. They 

 expected to meet on the way their six 

 months supply of annuity goods issued 

 by the government, and which they 

 had been informed was enroute from 

 Camp Supply to their encampment. 

 Orders were given for breaking camp, 

 and woe to the unlucky Cheyennes who 

 failed to comply. Their lodges were 

 quickly torn down over their heads and 

 destroyed, while stock and squaws were 

 soundly whipped by the other Indians. 

 Each morning, en route, the warriors 

 would saddle up and leaving their camp, 

 ride ahead until they reached their next 

 halting place, when they would dis- 

 mount and sit down in the grass to en- 

 joy a quiet smoke ; waiting for the 

 lodges, herds, papooses, dogs, and all 

 the paraphernalia to arrive under charge 

 of the squaws, who had taken down and 

 packed the tepees in the morning and 

 driven the entire caravan the whole day. 



On reaching the designated camp in 

 the evening the squaws pitched the 

 tepees again, picketed the herds, and 

 then started off to carry water, cut and 

 carry wood and cook the supper for 

 their lords. Then would these vaga- 

 bonds condescend to enter their lodges 

 and eat. 



Finally the long looked-for supplies 

 were met with and the whole tribe was 

 assembled in its respective bands, with 

 each band separated into its different 

 families ; forming a huge circle on the 

 prairie, and with all the goods to be 

 issued deposited in the centre. These 



