them pictographically on robes, cowskins, and other hides.  There is now in my possession an illuminated cowskin, presented to me by Mr. J. Kipp, which contains the record of the coups and the most striking events in the life of Red Crane, a Blackfoot warrior, painted by himself.  These pictographs are very rude and are drawn after the style common among Plains Indians, but no doubt they were sufficiently lifelike to call up to the mind of the artist each detail of the stirring events which they record.

The Indian warrior who stood up to relate some brave deed which he had performed was almost always in a position to prove the truth of his statements.  Either he had the enemy’s scalp, or some trophy captured from him, to produce as evidence, or else he had a witness of his feat in some companion.  A man seldom boasted of any deed unless he was able to prove his story, and false statements about exploits against the enemy were most unusual.  Temporary peace was often made between tribes usually at war, and, at the friendly meetings which took place during such times of peace, former battles were talked over, the performances of various individuals discussed, and the acts of particular men in the different rights commented on.  In this way, if any man had falsely claimed to have done brave deeds, he would be detected.

An example of this occurred many years ago among the Cheyennes.  At that time, there was a celebrated chief of the Skidi tribe of the Pawnee Nation whose name was Big Eagle.  He was very brave, and the Cheyennes greatly feared him, and it was agreed among them that the man who could count coup on Big Eagle should be made warchief of the Cheyennes.  After a fight on the Loup River, a Cheyenne warrior claimed to have counted coup on Big Eagle by thrusting a lance through his buttocks.  On the strength of the claim, this man was made war chief of the Cheyennes.  Some years later, during a friendly visit made by the Pawnees to the Cheyennes, this incident was mentioned.  Big Eagle was present at the time, and, after inquiring into the matter, he rose in council, denied that he had ever been struck as claimed, and, throwing aside his robe, called on the Cheyennes present to examine his body and to point out the scars left by the lance.  None were found.  It was seen that Big Eagle spoke the truth; and the lying Cheyenne, from the proud position of war chief, sank to a point where he was an object of contempt to the meanest Indian in his tribe.

Among the Blackfeet a war party usually, or often, had its origin in a dream.  Some man who has a dream, after he awakes tells of it.  Perhaps he may say:  “I dreamed that on a certain stream is a herd of horses that have been given to me, and that I am going away to get.  I am going to war.  I shall go to that place and get my band of horses.”  Then the men who know him, who believe that his medicine is strong and that he will have good luck, make up their minds to follow him.  As soon as he has stated what he intends to do, his women and his female relations begin to make moccasins for him, and the old men among his relations begin to give him arrows and powder and ball to fit him out for war.  The relations of those who are going with him do the same for them.