ith the Iroquois of the East. The Blackfeet, the Bloods and
the Piegans formed the league of the Siksika nation. They warred right
and left, with the Crees, the Assiniboins, the Sioux, the Crows, the
Pierced Noses, and with practically all tribes; they were hostile to
the white Americans who hunted in their country; but their wars had not
cut them down, for they numbered close to forty thousand people.

Like the Crows their enemy-neighbors they were rovers, never staying
long in one spot. They were unlike the Crows in appearance, being
shorter, broad-shouldered and deep-chested. No warriors were more
feared.

In November of 1834, amidst the Wind River Mountains of western Wyoming
five hundred Crows were ahorse, at early morning, to chase the buffalo.
And a gallant sight they made as they rode gaily out; in their white
robes, their long plaited hair flying, their best horses prancing under
them and decorated with red streamers.

Chief Grizzly Bear led. Chief Long-hair, now almost eighty years of
age, was with another band.

In this Chief Grizzly Bear band there rode a party of white
beaver-hunters who were to spend the winter with the Crows. They now
were to be shown how the Crows killed buffalo.

Pretty soon, while the Crows cantered on, they sighted a group of
moving figures at the base of the hills two or three miles distant
across the valley. Everybody stopped short to peer. Buffalo? No!
Indians, on foot and in a hurry--Blackfeet!

How, from so far away, the Crows could tell that these were Blackfeet,
the white men did not know. But with a yell of joy and rage, every
Crow lashed his horse and forward they all dashed, racing to catch the
hated Blackfeet.

The white hunters followed hard. It was to be an Indian battle,
instead of an Indian buffalo-chase.

The Blackfeet numbered less than one hundred. They were a war party.
Were they hunting buffalo, they would have been on horseback; but even
among the horse Indians the war parties were likely to travel on foot,
so as to be able to hide more easily. They counted upon stealing
horses, for the homeward trail.

These Blackfeet had been very rash, but that was Blackfoot nature.
They had sighted the Crows as soon as the Crows had sighted them, and
were hustling at best speed to get back into the hills.

The Crows, whooping gladly and expecting to make short work of their
enemies, first made short work of the distance. Their robes were
dropped, the