The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-05-11

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was the leader. AS a sign that he had
seen something Wolf Road carried in
his hand the wolf skin which he al
ways had with him. The approach Of
the scouts had been observed, and the
chiefs had already gathered in the cen
tre of the camp to receive the report.
They were singing and some were pill
ing up a heap Of buffalo chips, some
distance behind which the chiefs stood.
The scouts came toward the village
running swiftly, and just as they
reached the entrance of the circle they
began to howl like wolves, and to turn
their heads from one side to the other,
like wolves looking.
They entered the circle in single file.
The men Of the camp, who from all
these signs knew what the scouts were
about to report, were putting on their
war clothing, getting out their shields
and jumping on their war horses, for
they knew that good news was coming
that the camp of the enemy had been
found. The scouts rar around in front
of the chiefs and stopped. Wolf Road
told what he had seen, then Gentle
Horse, then each of the others. They
passed on around behind the chiefs.
and then from all sides Of the camp all
the young men on their horses charged
toward the centre, each trying to be
first to reach the pile of buffalo chips
and to strike it, for it represented an
enemy. Three men might count coup
on it.
Then all the mounted young men
rode around the chiefs while they were
singing, and afterward they dispersed.
All were now busily preparing to at
tack the camp of the enemy which had
0een found. The Cheyennes and Ara
pahoes were camping together in one
big circle, the Arapahoes at the north
east end.
Now crier mounted his horse and
went to the southeast end Of the circle,
and from there rode about it, telling
what these scouts had seen. He cried
out that the village would move against
the enemy that night. 1t was time
of great confusion-men singing their
war songs, painting themselves and
their horses, fixing up their things and
getting ready to start. During the
night they set out for the camp of the
enemy.
From the camp Of the outlaws, off to
the west, everything that was going on
in the main village could be seen, and
very likely one or more of the men
may have been in the camp, for they
often visited it.
The Cheyennes and Arapahoes left
their camp as it was, the lodges stand
ing and all their possessions in them.
The women and children, carrying
light camping outfits, followed the
men, who marched ahead. During the
night they stopped four times for
little while to rest.
At peep of day they formed in a long
line. White Thunder, the medicine ar
row keeper, opened the bundle, and
with the usual ceremony pointed the
medicine arrows in the direction where
he supposed the enemy's camp to be.
Then he wrapped the arrows up again
and held the points toward the sky and
told the Cheyennes to charge. They
made the charge, but when they
reached the river they found no camp
there. but far up the river on the other
side people could be soon on the hills,
and when the Cheyennes had ridden
down into the bottom they could see
beyond a point of the bluff the Kiowa
village.
Meantime the outlaws, little way to
the westward, had gone forward some
what faster than the main body, and
approached the stream just opposite
the Kiowa camp. Just after the dusk
of the morning Porcupine Bear-after-
ward called the Lame Shawnee-saw
people ride over hill before him-men
and women going out to hunt buffalo;
He was a little ahead of his party,
when. looking from crest of hill, he
saw them coming. He called to his
men to keep out of sight, saying, keep
down. keep down out of sight; will
deceive them" His men remained
hidden, and he threw down his lance
and began to ride backward and for
ward, making the sign that buffalo had
been seen. When the kiowas saw
him they thought it was some one
from their camp who had gone out be-
fore them and had found buffalo. They
began to move toward him faster, still
riding their common horses and lead
ing the running horses. Porcupine
Bear did not turn his face toward the
enemy, but kept gazing off over the
prairie, as if watching distant buffalo.
He kept doing this until the kiowas
were so close that he could hear them
talking.
Down in the ravine behind him were
the other Cheyennes lying down on
their horses, some fixing their shields
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