all the bands are concentrated in the same vicinity to participate in the important and solemn ceremony of making "big medicine" for the year.

As the result of a sort of community of interest, the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes have for some years been united in a band of alliance for war or peace. Both these tribes reached the plains country from the north. Their presence south of the Arkansas is within the memory of their people. Anterior to their habitation upon the Platte, whence they came last, they have no definite ideas, merely alluding to their coming there as the result of their wanderings in search of more desirable hunting-grounds. They allude to the Kiowas as preceding them, compelling them to leave the country and push farther south. Upon moving below the Platte, about thirty years ago, the Cheyennes occupied the country from the mouth of Beaver creek to the head waters of the Platte, and between the Repub. lican and the Smoky Hill rivers, also away towards the southwest, along the north side of the Arkansas, west of the Dry Fork, and now embraced in southern Nebraska, the northern half of Kansas and northeastern Colorado. This extensive region was the favorite range of the buffalo. The multitudes of this animal, almost countless even at the present day, existed then in larger numbers. A successful traffic in robes, and an abundance of food raised the pride and excited the martial spirit of the Cheyennes, until they became the terror of all their enemies whether red or white. In the chase, and on the warpath, they early became associated with the Arrapahoes who ranged more particularly upon the western border of the country conquered by the Cheyennes. Thus by degrees, the one emulating the conduct of the other, the two people were led to a unity of purpose which renders them to-day practically one.

The fine country beyond the Platte and the intermarriage of some of the Cheyennes with the Sioux, tended to a division of the tribe. The separation, however, was accomplished peaceably, the withdrawing faction leaving about the year 1848, under its chiefs, Standing Water and White Cow, and occupying

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the regions towards the north, living with the Sioux between the head waters of the Missouri and the Platte.

The main bands now confined their wanderings more towards the Arkansas. Reaching that stream, the warriors frequently come in contact with the Kiowas, who were living on the south. The Kiowas, probably, still bearing in mind their ancient wars with the strangers, were not in a spirit to make the proximity of the Cheyennes, the cause of a renewal of hostilities. The Cheyenne could still muster a formidable array of warriors, and Kiowa prudence suggested the wisdom of giving the new comers a hospitable greeting. This amicable course averted a fresh outbreak of the enmity which existed between the earlier representatives of their tribes, and stayed a war which would inevitably have broken the power, had it not effaced the name of the conquered.

The Arrapahoes during this division among the Cheyennes, stood aloof and remained with the main tribe. The Arrapahoes, however, in turn experienced also a division, but of a less peaceful nature. Soon after the separation of the Cheyenne bands, an Arrapahoe chief named Nam-e-sum, Cut Nose, in a fit of intoxication offered some indignity to a rival. The warriors on the spot took sides, and a free-fight resulted in which Cut Nose was killed. The warriors of his faction deserted the main band and went north, while the remainder continued with the southern branch of the Cheyennes.

This division of the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes conduced to a permanent separation of the two tribes, now known by distinct names. The two divisions are generally designated the northern and southern Cheyennes and Arrapahoes, They, however, have their own terms of distinction. In the case of the Cheyennes, the northern tribe is called the Shell band, from Mene-e-er-yah, which means shell, the Indian name for the Platte (Shell) river near which they lived. They are also known as the Missison or Eater's band. The southern tribe is known as the Flint band, from Mutesohue, meaning flint, the Indian name for the Arkansas (Flint) river, the largest stream

near which they roamed. They are also known as the Ha-vah tan-ye or Hairy band.

The Cheyennes having been first in the country, and the ruling tribe, were entitled to the names suggested by the location of their council fires. The Arrapahoes assumed names indicating the former identity of the two parts of the tribe. The conquering portion which remained with the Cheyennes, took the name of Teneveu, Father, or Suck-breast band. The other Nam-e-sum, or Cut Nose band. It is asserted by some facetious individual, that this latter appellation was figurative in allusion to that principal of vulgar philosophy known to ourselves in the homely illustration of "cutting off the nose to spite the face." It would certainly be a very emphatic manner of recognizing the folly which induced the warriors to engage in hostility upon so slight a pretense. Another and more plausible explanation is that the seceded band got its name from the refractory chief whose cause it espoused, the chief having obtained his peculiar cognomen, some years before, as a perpetuation of a series of brawls, in one of which he carried off a "Cut Nose" as a memorial of the occasion.

In the wanderings of the Cheyennes as they increased in numbers, the tribe was subject to another division. This third branch under Long Chin and Little Grey Head, seated themselves more particularly upon the head waters of the Republican river, thence south towards the Smoky Hill, and north towards the Platte. These are now known as the Ho-tam-e-tanyer or Dog Soldiers. How this name originated is not mentioned. It has been asserted that the warriors are composed of outlaws from the other two branches of the parent stock aud hence call "dog soldiers," but this is denied by the warriors themselves, as well as by the fact of the friendly relations preserved with the remainder of the tribe. Nor is it from the fact that they specially consume dogs, as this is a peculiarity of taste in all of the Cheyennes.

Thus we discover the Cheyennes divided into three branches, the northern inhabiting beyond the Platte, the "Dog Soldiers"

south of the Platte, and the Southern band south of the Arkansas. These different divisions, though broken into smaller bodies, and following different leaders, preserved a rigid union.

The word Cheyenne is, unquestionably, a term of designation applied in earlier days by the voyageurs, from Canada, who resorted to the plains country in the far west. The Cheyennes are particularly fond of dogs, served up in the various methods known to their rude art of cooking. In the absence of a knowledge of the language, or to distinguish them from other Indians, not so intensely ungrateful towards the most faithful brute companion of the human race, the voyageurs designated these people tersely "Chiens." From this, not knowing the word originally to have been French, the American pronunciation, as well as orthography, would naturally suggest "Cheyennes." These people call themselves His-ta-e-yet. This term of designation, and Arrapahoe, have no meaning in our own tongue. The Comanches call the Arrapahoes, Sayre-teghtka, or Dog-eaters.

Though the fight for dominion has now been forgotten between the rival factions of the Arrapahoes, the two bands keep up the old division as regards locality. In the war with the government, all the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes took the warpath, and parties of warriors from the northern bands were known to have moved from their remote seats to assist their southern relatives upon the Washita and the Red.

The fifth and least important of the wild tribes, south of the Arkansas, is the Lipans. These people are improperly known as Apaches, and so called in the official documents of the government. They say of themselves that they are not Apaches, that the Apaches live away to the west. As an additional evidence of the truth of this, the tribe speaks a language of its own, distinct from that used by the Mescelero and Jacarillo, or true Apaches of New Mexico. Some years ago the Lipans lived in western Texas, and have always been on friendly terms with the Comanches, their neighbors. At that time they could gather a formidable force of warriors, but owing to feuds and wars with the whites, they became divided in power and de

pleted in numbers. A separation took place, one branch seeking refuge in old Mexico, where they are now living, the other moved north towards the Red river, and form the small band found on the plains, and improperly called the Apaches. It is understood that the Mexican wing of the tribe have left that country, and are on their way to join the band on the southern plains in north-western Texas and the Indian territories.

There is a tradition among the Lipans, that many years ago they occupied the region known as the "bad ground," an exceedingly desolate and broken country between the head waters of the Missouri and the Platte, and from here they wandered south until they reached Texas. There is no other authority for this than their own story.

The relations existing amongst the five wild tribes are of a friendly character, for the common object of marauding upon the settlements. The Comanche excels in horsemanship, the Kiowa in duplicity, and the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes in the more decisive qualities of warriors. The Apaches (Lipans), are few in numbers and weak in influence. In their movements they are swayed by the wishes of the Comanches and Kiowas.

In the organization of war-parties, composed of warriors of the different tribes, certain ceremonies of negotiation are observed. Any band wishing to go to war sends messengers, asking its friends to furnish warriors for an expedition. This mission bears with it the council pipe, and is accompanied by ponies as presents, to encourage the favorable consideration of the proposition. A council is held in which the whole matter is fully discussed. If the band accepts the pipe and smokes, the request is granted, and the warriors of the band, or rather such as choose, extend their co-operation. After this ceremony, warriors from all the bands rendezvous at a given point, and start upon their errand of atrocity and spoliation. To decline acceding to the proposition to take the war-path, frequently occurs from policy or necessity. The band seeking for assistance, if not successful in gathering a sufficient number of warriors to make up the necessary strength, abandons its project.