. It
is so ordered, because oftentimes the touching of an enemy is much more
difficult to accomplish than the shooting of one from a distance. It
requires a strong heart to face the whole body of the enemy, in order to
count the coup on the fallen one, who lies under cover of his kinsmen's
fire. Many a brave man has been lost in the attempt.

"When a warrior approaches his foe, dead or alive, he calls upon the
other warriors to witness by saying: 'I, Fearless Bear, your brave,
again perform the brave deed of counting the first (or second or
third or fourth) coup upon the body of the bravest of your enemies.'
Naturally, those who are present will see the act and be able to testify
to it. When they return, the heralds, as you know, announce publicly all
such deeds of valor, which then become a part of the man's war record.
Any brave who would wear the eagle's feather must give proof of his
right to do so.

"When a brave is wounded in the same battle where he counted his coup,
he wears the feather hanging downward. When he is wounded, but makes no
count, he trims his feather and in that case, it need not be an eagle
feather. All other feathers are merely ornaments. When a warrior wears
a feather with a round mark, it means that he slew his enemy. When the
mark is cut into the feather and painted red, it means that he took the
scalp.

"A brave who has been successful in ten battles is entitled to a
war-bonnet; and if he is a recognized leader, he is permitted to wear
one with long, trailing plumes. Also those who have counted many coups
may tip the ends of the feathers with bits of white or colored down.
Sometimes the eagle feather is tipped with a strip of weasel skin; that
means the wearer had the honor of killing, scalping and counting the
first coup upon the enemy all at the same time.

"This feather you have found was worn by a Cree--it is indiscriminately
painted. All other feathers worn by the common Indians mean nothing," he
added.

"Tell me, uncle, whether it would be proper for me to wear any feathers
at all if I have never gone upon the war-path."

"You could wear any other kind of feathers, but not an eagle's," replied
my uncle, "although sometimes one is worn on great occasions by the
child of a noted man, to indicate the father's dignity and position."

The fire had gone down somewhat, so I pushed the embers together and
wrapped my robe more closely about me. Now and then the ice on the
lake would bur