ckly followed by the whole band.

Still in high good humour, the braves recrossed the river, and, turning
round on the farther shore, fired a volley to Wards the fort; but as the
distance was at least 500 yards, this parting salute was simply as a
bravado. This band was evidently bent on mischief. As they retreated
south to their own country they met the carts belonging to the fort on
their way from the plains; the men in charge ran off with the fleetest
horses, but the carts were all captured and ransacked, and an old
Scotchman, a servant of the Company, who stood his ground, was reduced to
a state bordering upon nudity by the frequent demands of his captors.

The Blackfeet chiefs exercise great authority over their braves; some of
them are men of considerable natural abilities, and all-must be brave and
celebrated in battle. To disobey the mandate of a chief is at times to
court instant death at his hands. At the present time the two most
formidable chiefs of the Blackfeet nations are Sapoo-max-sikes, or "The
Great Crow's Claw;" and Oma-ka-pee-mulkee-yeu, or "The Great Swan."
These men are widely different in their characters; the Crow's Claw being
a man whose word once given can be relied on to the death, but the
other is represented as a man of colossal size and savage disposition,
crafty and treacherous.

During the year just past death had struck heavily among the Blackfeet
chiefs. The death of one of their greatest men, Pe-na-koam, or "The
Far-off Dawn," was worthy of a great brave. When he felt that his last
night had come, he ordered his best horse to be brought to the door of
the tent, and mounting him he rode slowly around the camp; at each
corner he halted and called out, in a loud voice to his people, "The last
hour of Pe-na-koam has come; but to his people he says, Be brave;
separate into small parties, so that this disease will have less power
to kill you; be strong to fight our enemies the Crees, and be able to
destroy them. It is no matter now that this disease has come upon us, for
our enemies have got it too, and they will also die of it. Pe-na-koam
tells his people before he dies to live so that they may fight their
enemies, and be strong." It is said that, having spoken thus, he died
quietly. Upon the top of a lonely hill they laid the body of their chief
beneath a tent hung round with scarlet cloth; beside him they put six
revolvers and two American repeating rifles, an at the door of his tent
tw