ich are expressed by the voice,
though sometimes not given in any language whatever. They have other
dances and songs which are not so intricate or mysterious, and which
are understood by every person in the tribe, being sung in their own
language.

Some of these have much poetry in them, being perfectly metred, but
without rhyme.

It is of the buffalo dance, however, that I propose to treat in this
chapter, and of which I will try to give the reader as clear an idea as
is possible from a mere description; but no words of mine can enable you
to fully realize the strange tumult, scampering, grunting and bellowing
with which my ears have been so often assailed.

The buffalo is essentially a wandering creature, congregating at times
in huge herds, and roaming from north to south or from east to west,
apparently without any directing impulse, but in reality in search of
forage. Although their movement to the southward usually takes place at
a stated season of the year, it varies greatly in the number who take
part in it. Hence it sometimes happens that the Camanches are unable to
procure their necessary supply of meat, and in some cases, when the
migration occurs at a later period than usual, the Indians find
themselves practically without food, and disastrous seasons of famine
ensue. This involves the sending forth of expeditions in search of the
tardy herds. These hunting parties, having to pass through the country
occupied by other tribes, are almost certain to be assailed and harassed
by them, and sometimes compelled to return with the loss of many of
their number, and without accomplishing the object of the expedition.
Hence the Indians are loth to undertake these hunts, and prefer to
depend upon the means which their superstition leads them to believe
will have the effect of bringing the buffaloes within their hunting
grounds.

This is nothing more than the buffalo dance, and when the emergency
arises, every Indian musters and brings out his mask (the skin of a
buffalo's head, with the horns on), which he is obliged to keep in
readiness for this occasion. Then commences the buffalo dance, which is
held for the purpose of making "buffalo come," as the Indians term it,
or, in other words, of inducing the buffalo herds to change their
feeding grounds, and direct their course towards the vast prairies to
the eastward of the Camanche villages, where the young braves can shoot
them down, and the tribe be enabled to pro