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The most exciting event of this year was the attack that the Gros
Ventres made upon us just as we moved our camp upon the table land back
of the river in the spring。 We had plenty of meat then and everybody was
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happy。 The grass was beginning to appear and the ponies to grow fat。
One night there was a war dance。 A few of our young men had
planned to invade the Gros Ventres country； but it seemed that they too
had been thinking of us。 Everybody was interested in the proposed war
party。
〃Uncle； are you going too？〃 I eagerly asked him。
〃No；〃 he replied； with a long sigh。 〃It is the worst time of year to go on
the war…path。 We shall have plenty of fighting this summer； as we are
going to trench upon their territory in our hunts；〃 he added。
The night was clear and pleasant。 The war drum was answered by
the howls of coyotes on the opposite side of the Mouse river。 I was in the
throng； watching the braves who were about to go out in search of glory。
〃I wish I were old enough； I would surely go with this party；〃 I thought。
My friend Tatanka was to go。 He was several years older than I； and a
hero in my eyes。 I watched him as he danced with the rest until nearly
midnight。 Then I came back to our teepee and rolled myself in my
buffalo robe and was soon lost in sleep。
Suddenly I was aroused by loud war cries。 〃'Woo！ woo！ hay…ay！ hay…
ay！ U we do！ U we do！'〃 I jumped upon my feet； snatched my bow and
arrows and rushed out of the teepee； franti… cally yelling as I went。
〃Stop！ stop！〃 screamed Uncheedah； and caught me by my long hair。
By this time the Gros Ventres had encircled our camp； sending volleys
of arrows and bullets into our midst。 The women were digging ditches in
which to put their children。
My uncle was foremost in the battle。 The Sioux bravely withstood
the assault； although several of our men had already fallen。 Many of the
enemy were killed in the field around our teepees。 The Sioux at last got
their ponies and made a counter charge； led by Oyemakasan （my uncle）。
They cut the Gros Ventre party in two； and drove them off。
My friend Tatanka was killed。 I took one of his eagle feathers；
thinking I would wear it the first time that I ever went upon the war…path。
I thought I would give anything for the oppor… tunity to go against the
Gros Ventres； because they killed my friend。 The war songs； the wail…
ing for the dead； the howling of the dogs was intolerable to me。 Soon
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after this we broke up our camp and departed for new scenes。
III： Wild Harvests
WHEN our people lived in Min… nesota； a good part of their natur… al
subsistence was furnished by the wild rice； which grew abun… dantly in all
of that region。 Around the shores and all over some of the innumerable
lakes of the 〃Land of Sky…blue Water〃 was this wild cereal found。 In…
deed； some of the watery fields in those days might be compared in extent
and fruitfulness with the fields of wheat on Minnesota's magnificent farms
to…day。
The wild rice harvesters came in groups of fif… teen to twenty families
to a lake； depending upon the size of the harvest。 Some of the Indians
hunted buffalo upon the prairie at this season； but there were more who
preferred to go to the lakes to gather wild rice； fish； gather berries and hunt
the deer。 There was an abundance of water…fowls among the grain； and
really no season of the year was happier than this。
The camping…ground was usually an attractive spot； with shade and
cool breezes off the water。 The people； while they pitched their teepees
upon the heights； if possible； for the sake of a good out… look； actually
lived in their canoes upon the placid waters。 The happiest of all； perhaps；
were the young maidens； who were all day long in their canoes； in twos or
threes； and when tired of gather… ing the wild cereal； would sit in the boats
doing their needle…work。
These maidens learned to imitate the calls of the different water…fowls
as a sort of signal to the members of a group。 Even the old women and
the boys adopted signals； so that while the popu… lation of the village was
lost to sight in a thick field of wild rice； a meeting could be arranged
without calling any one by his or her own name。 It was a great
convenience for those young men who sought opportunity to meet certain
maidens； for there were many canoe paths through the rice。
August is the harvest month。 There were many preliminary feasts of
fish； ducks and veni… son； and offerings in honor of the 〃Water Chief；〃 so
that there might not be any drowning accident during the harvest。 The
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preparation consisted of a series of feasts and offerings for many days；
while women and men were making birch canoes； for nearly every
member of the family must be provided with one for this occasion。 The
blue… berry and huckleberry…picking also preceded the rice…gathering。
There were social events which enlivened the camp of the harvesters；
such as maidens' feasts； dances and a canoe regatta or two； in which not
only the men were participants； but women and young girls as well。
On the appointed day all the canoes were carried to the shore and
placed upon the water with prayer and propitiatory offerings。 Each family
took possession of the allotted field； and tied all the grain in bundles of
convenient size； al… lowing it to stand for a few days。 Then they again
entered the lake； assigning two persons to each canoe。 One manipulated
the paddle； while the foremost one gently drew the heads of each bundle
toward him and gave it a few strokes with a light rod。 This caused the
rice to fall into the bottom of the craft。 The field was traversed in this
manner back and forth until finished。
This was the pleasantest and easiest part of the harvest toil。 The real
work was when they pre… pared the rice for use。 First of all； it must be
made perfectly dry。 They would spread it upon buffalo robes and mats；
and sometimes upon lay… ers of coarse swamp grass； and dry it in the sun。
If the time was short； they would make a scaffold and spread upon it a
certain thickness of the green grass and afterward the rice。 Under this a
fire was made； taking care that the grass did not catch fire。
When all the rice is gathered and dried； the hulling begins。 A round
hole is dug about two feet deep and the same in diameter。 Then the rice
is heated over a fire…place； and emptied into the hole while it is hot。 A
young man； having washed his feet and put on a new pair of mocca… sins；
treads upon it until all is hulled。 The women then pour it upon a robe and
begin to shake it so that the chaff will be separated by the wind。 Some of
the rice is browned before being hulled。
During the hulling time there were prizes of… fered to the young men
who can hull quickest and best。 There were sometimes from twenty to
fifty youths dancing with their feet in these holes。
Pretty moccasins were brought by shy maidens to the youths of their
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choice； asking them to hull rice。 There were daily entertainments which
de… served some such name as 〃hulling bee〃at any rate； we all enjoyed
them hugely。 The girls brought with them plenty of good things to eat。
When all the rice was prepared for the table； the matter of storing it
must be determined。 Caches were dug by each family in a concealed
spot； and carefully lined with dry grass and bark。 Here they