solicitations, until they met with a flat refusal.

The gigantic chief now stepped forward, assumed a swelling air, and,
slapping himself upon the breast, gave Mr. Crooks to understand that he
was a chief of great power and importance. He signified, further, that
it was customary for great chiefs when they met, to make each other
presents. He requested, therefore, that Mr. Stuart would alight, and
give him the horse upon which he was mounted. This was a noble animal,
of one of the wild races of the prairies; on which Mr. Stuart set
great value; he, of course, shook his head at the request of the Crow
dignitary. Upon this the latter strode up to him, and taking hold of
him, moved him backwards and forwards in his saddle, as if to make him
feel that he was a mere child within his grasp. Mr. Stuart preserved his
calmness, and still shook his head. The chief then seized the bridle,
and gave it a jerk that startled the horse, and nearly brought the rider
to the ground. Mr. Stuart instantly drew forth a pistol, and presented
it at the head of the bully-ruffian. In a twinkling his swaggering was
at an end, and he dodged behind his horse to escape the expected shot.
As his subject Crows gazed on the affray from a little distance, Mr.
Stuart ordered his men to level their rifles at them, but not to fire.
The whole crew scampered among the bushes, and throwing themselves upon
the ground, vanished from sight.

The chieftain thus left alone was confounded for an instant; but,
recovering himself with true Indian shrewdness, burst into a loud laugh,
and affected to turn off the whole matter as a piece of pleasantry. Mr.
Stuart by no means relished such equivocal joking, but it was not his
policy to get into a quarrel; so he joined with the best grace he could
assume in the merriment of the jocular giant; and, to console the latter
for the refusal of the horse, made him a present of twenty charges of
powder. They parted, according to all outward professions, the best
friends in the world; it was evident, however, that nothing but the
smallness of his own force, and the martial array and alertness of the
white men, had prevented the Crow chief from proceeding to open outrage.
As it was, his worthy followers, in the course of their brief interview,
had contrived to purloin a bag containing almost all the culinary
utensils of the party.

The travellers kept on their way due east, over a chain of hills. The
recent rencontre showed them