eace, the venerable Pawnee chief advanced to
the middle of the lodge, and addressed the Comanches:--

"My sight is old, for I have seen a hundred winters, and yet I can
recognise those who once were friends. I see among you Opishka Koaki
(the White Raven), and the leader of a great people; Pemeh-Katey (the
Long Carbine), and the wise Hah-nee (the Old Beaver). You are friends,
and we should offer you at once the calumet of peace, but you have come
as foes; as long as you think you have cause to remain so, it would be
mean and unworthy of the Pawnees to sue and beg for what perchance they
may obtain by their courage. Yet the Comanches and the Pawnees have
been friends too long a time to fall upon each other as a starved wolf
does upon a wounded buffalo. A strong cause must excite them to fight
against each other, and then, when it comes, it must be a war of
extermination, for when a man breaks with an old friend, he becomes more
bitter in his vengeance than against an utter stranger. Let me hear
what the brave Comanches have to complain of, and any reparation,
consistent with the dignity of a Pawnee chief, shall be made, sooner
than risk a war between brothers who have so long hunted together and
fought together against a common enemy. I have said."

Opishka Koaki ordered me to light the Comanche calumet of peace, and
advancing to the place left vacant by the ancient chief, he answered:--

"I have heard words of great wisdom; a Comanche always loves and
respects wisdom; I love and respect my father, Wetara Sharoj; I will
tell him what are the complaints of our warriors, but before, as we have
come as foes, it is but just that we should be the first to offer the
pipe of peace; take it, chief, for we must be friends; I will tell our
wrongs, and leave it to the justice of the great Pawnee to efface them,
and repair the loss his young men have caused to a nation of friends."

The pipe was accepted, and the "talk" went on. It appeared that a party
of one hundred Pawnee hunters had had their horses estampeded one night,
by some hostile Indians. For five days they forced their way on foot,
till entering the northern territory of the Comanches, they met with a
drove of horses and cattle. They would never have touched them, had it
not been that, a short time afterwards, they met with another very
numerous party of their inveterate enemies--the Kiowas, by whom they
were pressed so very hard, that they were obliged to ret