Often the dealing the coup showed a very high degree of courage.  As already implied, it might be counted on a man who was defending himself most desperately, and was trying his best to kill the approaching enemy, or, even if the attempt was being made on a foe who had fallen, it was never certain that he was beyond the power of inflicting injury.  He might be only wounded, and, just when the enemy had come close to him, and was about to strike, he might have strength enough left to raise himself up and shoot him dead.  In their old wars, the Indians rarely took men captive.  The warrior never expected quarter nor gave it, and usually men fought to the death, and died mute, defending themselves to the last—­to the last, striving to inflict some injury on the enemy.

The striking the blow was an important event in a man’s life, and he who performed this feat remembered it.  He counted it.  It was a proud day for the young warrior when he counted his first coup, and each subsequent one was remembered and numbered in the warrior’s mind, just as an American of to-day remembers the number of times he has been elected to Congress.  At certain dances and religious ceremonies, like that of the Medicine Lodge, the warriors counted—­or rather re-counted—­their coups.

While the coup was primarily, and usually, a blow with something held in the hand, other acts in warfare which involved great danger to him who performed them were also reckoned coups by some tribes.  Thus, for a horseman to ride over and knock down an enemy, who was on foot, was regarded among the Blackfeet as a coup, for the horseman might be shot at close quarters, or might receive a lance thrust.  It was the same to ride one’s horse violently against a mounted foe.  An old Pawnee told me of a coup that he had counted by running up to a fallen enemy and jumping on him with both feet.  Sometimes the taking of horses counted a coup, but this was not always the case.

As suggested by what has been already stated, each tribe of the Plains Indians held its own view as to what constituted a coup.  The Pawnees were very strict in their interpretation of the term, and with them an act of daring was not in itself deemed a coup.  This was counted only when the person of an enemy was actually touched.  One or two incidents which have occurred among the Pawnees will serve to illustrate their notions on this point.

In the year 1867, the Pawnee scouts had been sent up to Ogallalla, Nebraska, to guard the graders who were working on the Union Pacific railroad.  While they were there, some Sioux came down from the hills and ran off a few mules, taking them across the North Platte.  Major North took twenty men and started after them.  Crossing the river, and following it up on the north bank, he headed them off, and before long came in sight of them.