e for ourselves, though quite contrary to our
expectation, the disturbance was quelled almost as soon as it had
commenced. When I looked again, the combatants were once more mingled
together in a mass. Though yells sounded, occasionally from the throng,
the firing had entirely ceased, and I observed five or six persons
moving busily about, as if acting the part of peacemakers. One of the
village heralds or criers proclaimed in a loud voice something which
my two companions were too much engrossed in their own observations to
translate for me. The crowd began to disperse, though many a deep-set
black eye still glittered with an unnatural luster, as the warriors
slowly withdrew to their lodges. This fortunate suppression of the
disturbance was owing to a few of the old men, less pugnacious than
Mene-Seela, who boldly ran in between the combatants and aided by
some of the "soldiers," or Indian police, succeeded in effecting their
object.

It seemed very strange to me that although many arrows and bullets were
discharged, no one was mortally hurt, and I could only account for
this by the fact that both the marksman and the object of his aim were
leaping about incessantly during the whole time. By far the greater part
of the villagers had joined in the fray, for although there were not
more than a dozen guns in the whole camp, I heard at least eight or ten
shots fired.

In a quarter of an hour all was comparatively quiet. A large circle of
warriors were again seated in the center of the village, but this time
I did not venture to join them, because I could see that the pipe,
contrary to the usual order, was passing from the left hand to the right
around the circle, a sure sign that a "medicine-smoke" of reconciliation
was going forward, and that a white man would be an unwelcome intruder.
When I again entered the still agitated camp it was nearly dark, and
mournful cries, howls and wailings resounded from many female voices.
Whether these had any connection with the late disturbance, or were
merely lamentations for relatives slain in some former war expeditions,
I could not distinctly ascertain.

To inquire too closely into the cause of the quarrel was by no means
prudent, and it was not until some time after that I discovered what
had given rise to it. Among the Dakota there are many associations, or
fraternities, connected with the purposes of their superstitions,
their warfare, or their social life. There was one calle