my Indian
parentage. I could not fail to remark their alarm lest I should be
claimed as a white, and pondered over it for some time.

The agent was quieted for a time but was not satisfied and all the
post continued to watch our movements narrowly. Next day whilst
getting some provisions from the post, our chief was again asked about
me and was told that no more provisions would be given the party
unless I was surrendered to the whites. At this the chief returned to
the camp in dismay and a brief council was held from which I was
excluded. The result was that our camp was suddenly broken up and the
trail immediately struck for the main body of the tribe leaving the
rest of the needed supplies behind us.

On our homeward march we fell in with a party of Blackfeet who wished
to rob us of our ponies and provisions. After a short skirmish the
enemy was driven back, but continued to hover on our trail in order to
find out our destination.

A busy scene presented itself at the camp on our arrival. Our hunters
in their excursions in pursuit of game had come on traces of the
Blackfeet Indians, and had followed the trail until they discovered
the camp of a large war party which had evidently come out with the
intention of meeting and driving us back to the north again. A grand
council of the tribe was gathered and the warriors were giving their
opinions as to the proper course to be pursued. Two alternatives
presented themselves. One was to go back to the snows and starvation
of the northern winter, and the other to meet the opposing Blackfeet
and endeavor to force our way through them to the hunting grounds
farther south. There was a general disposition to take the latter
course, and several chiefs made stirring appeals to the pride and
vengeance of the warriors. The numerous battles with the Blackfeet in
former years were referred to, and the blood of the slain invoked to
stir up the hearts of the warriors to revenge. Finally one of the
chiefs sprang to his feet and commenced chanting an account of his
warlike deeds, and boasted of what he would do in the approaching
fight. Whilst he sang he danced around in a circle, stamping fiercely
on the ground at every step. Every now and then he stopped to raise
his war-cry.

In a few minutes another warrior sprang up and joined the dance and
song, to the music of a small drum and rattle. Then another and
another leaped up, until all the fighting men of the tribe signified
their