These young
women, perhaps not squires or heralds of the tribe, but wives of one or
more of the head men, were decorated with brass and beads and shining
things, their hair covered with gauds, their black eyes shining too,
though directed straight ahead. Their garb was of tanned leather, the
tunics or dresses were of elk skin, and the white leggins of antelope
hide or that of mountain sheep. Their buffalo hide moccasins were
handsomely beaded and stained. As they passed, followed by the long
train of stalwart savage figures, they made a spectacle strange and
savage, but surely not less than impressive.
Not a word was spoken on either side. The course of their column took
them to the edge of the water a short distance above us. They drove
their horses down to drink scrambled up the bank again, and then
presently, in answer to some sort of signal, quietly rode on a quarter
of a mile or so and pulled up at the side of the valley. They saw
abundance of meat lying there already killed, and perhaps guessed that
we could not use all of it.
"Auberry," said Belknap, "we must go talk to these people, and see
what's up."
"They're Sioux!" said Auberry. "Like enough the very devils that cleaned
out the station down there.
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