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Show 450 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF band. rrhe Bob-tailed Horse made me a valuable present, and I returned to the fort with six splendid warhorses and thirty fine robes, presented to me at that dance, as my initiation gifts, or bounty-money, I suppose, for joining their army. I was then a Dog Soldier in the picked troop of the Cheyennes, compelled to defend the village against every enemy until I died, like Macbeth, with harness on my back. The Crows had been informed by sundry persons in the employ of the American Fur Company that I had joined their inveterate enemies. They were satisfied with my proceeding. "The Medicine Calf is a cunning chief," they said ; '' he best knows how to act. He has joined the Cheyennes to learn all about their numbers, the routes of their villages, and so forth. When he has learned all that he wants, ~he will return to us, and then we can fight the Cheyennes to greater advantage." I was now in my second winter with Sublet in the Cheyenne and Sioux country. He had succeeded far beyond his expectation, and he still continued to make money by thousands. We had curtailed the number of sub-posts, and thereby materially reduced his expenses ; indeed, they were now less than half what they were the preceding winter. Leaving Sublet's, I went down to the South Platte distant one hundred and fifty miles, and ... indulged in ~ short rest, until I heard that the Cheyennes of the Ar- 1\:ansas-those that I first visited-were about to make their spring trade, and I went over to meet them and bring them to our fort. I found them ; all appea:ed to be glad to see me, and they returned with me. In crossing the divide, or ridge between the two rivers our spies in advance discovered a party of Pawnees: JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 451 and a charge was immediately made upon them. We only killed three of the enemy. I counted a coo by capturing a rifle. The victim who abandoned it had been already killed. . While we engaged the enemy the village went into camp, and I proposed to my fellow-warriors to 1·eturn to the village after the manner of the Crows, which was agreed to. There were several in the party, so we could easily raise a good Crow song, and the Cheyenne warriors could join in. We struck up merrily, and advanced toward the village. As soon as the women heard our voices, they ran out to see who were coming. There were several captive Crows among the Cheyennes, who, I supposed, had lived among them ever since I had been sold to the whites. These recognized our stave, and exclaimed, " Those are Crows coming ; we know their song." This brought out the whole village, who stood waiting our arrival, in surprise and wonderment. As we drew near, however, they distinguished me in the party, and the mystery was solved. ,·, The Crow is with the Cheyennes." ·We performed all kinds of antics ; made a circuit round the village, going through evolutions and performances which the Cheyennes had never before seen, but with which they were so highly pleased, that they adopted the dance into the celebrations of their nation. That night the scalp-dance was performed, which I took part in, as great a man as any. I sung the Crow song, to the especial admiration of the fair sex. The next morning we resumed our journey to the fort, which we reached after three days' travel. The village had brought a great number of robes, together with some beaver, and a great trade was opened with them. At this time I had a difficulty with a Cheyenne, |
