s clear as day to
everybody--all of our war-party were killed, save the one whose mournful
song announced the fate of his companions. The lonely warrior was Bald
Eagle.

The village was convulsed with grief; for in sorrow, as in joy, every
Indian shares with all the others. The old women stood still, wherever
they might be, and wailed dismally, at intervals chanting the praises
of the departed warriors. The wives went a little way from their teepees
and there audibly mourned; but the young maidens wandered further away
from the camp, where no one could witness their grief. The old men
joined in the crying and singing. To all appearances the most unmoved of
all were the warriors, whose tears must be poured forth in the country
of the enemy to embitter their vengeance. These sat silently within
their lodges, and strove to conceal their feelings behind a stoical
countenance; but they would probably have failed had not the soothing
weed come to their relief.

The first sad shock over, then came the change of habiliments. In
savage usage, the outward expression of mourning surpasses that of
civilization. The Indian mourner gives up all his good clothing, and
contents himself with scanty and miserable garments. Blankets are cut in
two, and the hair is cropped short. Often a devoted mother would
scarify her arms or legs; a sister or a young wife would cut off all her
beautiful hair and disfigure herself by undergoing hardships. Fathers
and brothers blackened their faces, and wore only the shabbiest
garments. Such was the spectacle that our people presented when the
bright autumn was gone and the cold shadow of winter and misfortune
had fallen upon us. "We must suffer," said they--"the Great Mystery is
offended."

II. A Winter Camp

WHEN I was about twelve years old we wintered upon the Mouse river, west
of Turtle mountain. It was one of the coldest winters I ever knew, and
was so regarded by the old men of the tribe. The summer before there had
been plenty of buffalo upon that side of the Missouri, and our people
had made many packs of dried buffalo meat and cached them in different
places, so that they could get them in case of need. There were many
black-tailed deer and elk along the river, and grizzlies were to be
found in the open country. Apparently there was no danger of starvation,
so our people thought to winter there; but it proved to be a hard
winter.

There was a great snow-fall, and the cold was intens