than his! Food is
free--lodging free--everything free! All were alike rich in the summer,
and, again, all were alike poor in the winter and early spring. However,
their diseases were fewer and not so destructive as now, and the
Indian's health was generally good. The Indian boy enjoyed such a life
as almost all boys dream of and would choose for themselves if they were
permitted to do so.

The raids made upon our people by other tribes were frequent, and we had
to be constantly on the watch. I remember at one time a night attack was
made upon our camp and all our ponies stampeded. Only a few of them were
recovered, and our journeys after this misfortune were effected mostly
by means of the dog-travaux.

The second winter after the massacre, my father and my two older
brothers, with several others, were betrayed by a half-breed at Winnipeg
to the United States authorities. As I was then living with my uncle in
another part of the country, I became separated from them for ten
years. During all this time we believed that they had been killed by the
whites, and I was taught that I must avenge their deaths as soon as I
was able to go upon the war-path.

I must say a word in regard to the character of this uncle, my father's
brother, who was my adviser and teacher for many years. He was a man
about six feet two inches in height, very erect and broad-shouldered. He
was known at that time as one of the best hunters and bravest warriors
among the Sioux in British America, where he still lives, for to this
day we have failed to persuade him to return to the United States.

He is a typical Indian--not handsome, but truthful and brave. He had a
few simple principles from which he hardly ever departed. Some of these
I shall describe when I speak of my early training.

It is wonderful that any children grew up through all the exposures
and hardships that we suffered in those days! The frail teepee pitched
anywhere, in the winter as well as in the summer, was all the protection
that we had against cold and storms. I can recall times when we were
snowed in and it was very difficult to get fuel. We were once three
days without much fire and all of this time it stormed violently. There
seemed to be no special anxiety on the part of our people; they rather
looked upon all this as a matter of course, knowing that the storm would
cease when the time came.

I could once endure as much cold and hunger as any of them; but now if I
miss