as from any merit
of his own; for, although a daring warrior, he was a reckless fellow,
and scarcely fitted to command or advise.

The ceremony of his installation followed, and was conducted within a
medicine lodge, erected for that especial purpose. Here were assembled
the chiefs, priests, members of the council, and the leading warriors,
with as many of the other braves as could possibly crowd into it. The
new dignitary was then presented with a _white_ buffalo robe, and a
head-dress of eagle's plumes, stained red, the insignia of his office.
New arms and equipments were given him, and it was formally announced
that Naucedah was the twelfth counselor of the Camanche nation; and that
the next war party should be led by him. More speech-making followed,
some of it decidedly eloquent, but with which I will not weary the
reader. Tonsaroyoo presented the new counselor with twenty horses and a
magnificent white shield; the assemblage then separated. The remainder
of the day was devoted to feasting in honor of the event; the younger
warriors amusing themselves as usual with horse racing and ball play.

Naucedah failed to justify the wisdom of this selection, for his first
war party resulted in disaster. Starting with about eighty warriors on a
raid into the Utah country to steal horses, he led his unlucky band into
an ambush, and barely twenty of them escaped; their leader being among
the killed.

The marriage relation can hardly be said to exist among the Camanches.
Each chief or warrior, it is true, may have as many wives as he pleases,
and they generally please to have a rather liberal number; but the tie
is not a sacred one as with us; and no ceremony is required to legalize
it. The commerce of the sexes is practically unrestricted. The Camanche
procures his wife, or more properly his slave, by purchase, by barter,
or as in the case of the white captives, by force of arms; and he
disposes of her in an equally summary fashion when wearied of her.

One particularly horrid custom to which their white prisoners are
frequently subjected is the following: It sometimes occurs that a
dispute will arise as to the ownership of a white captive; in this event
it is referred to the council for settlement; and should they be unable
to agree upon a decision, she then becomes _common property_, the victim
of _all_!

The Camanche has the same aversion to labor of any kind which
characterizes all the aboriginal races. When not on t