his day you and all your race shall have no feathers on your
heads, so that every one may know how unkind you have been to
Wesakchak."

And so it has been. From that day the two eagles and all their
children have been bald-headed.

A BATTLE WITH THE SIOUX

Less than sixty years ago, the vast tracts of land which are now large
cities and cultivated farms were prairie and forest. Numerous tribes
of Indians camped on these prairies in summer-time, and when the cold
winter came, they sought the shelter of the forest. Most of these
tribes were very warlike and fought with one another, but sometimes the
white people were attacked by the savages. The most warlike tribe was
the Sioux, and the white settlers, who were very few in number, were
always on the alert against their attacks.

In June, 1851, a party of three hundred hunters set out on their annual
buffalo hunt. With them went the grave, kindly-faced missionary, who
had given up his life to work in the western wilds. They travelled to
the westward, keeping a sharp lookout for Indian tribes, as their route
now lay through the Sioux territory. After about three weeks' journey
over the prairies, they decided to separate into two bands, as this is
the usual way in buffalo hunting. But the older men thought this was
not safe, because they would need all their numbers if attacked by the
Indians. They talked it over for some time, and finally sixty-five
hunters with their wives and children separated from the larger party
and decided to go in a different direction. Each party was to take the
direction of the Big Hill.

After some time, two scouts came riding back from the larger party to
tell the others that a tribe of Sioux had been seen by them, and to be
very watchful. The hunters kept a watch, but saw nothing of the
Indians, and at last, after about six days' journey, reached the Big
Hill. Their chief sent five of the officers to have a look around and
find out the best place to pitch their camp, and also to see if there
were Indians in the neighborhood. The five men rode to the top of the
small ridge, and from there could see a camp in the distance. They
could not tell whether it was their friends or the Indians, so they
rode on, and on reaching the top of the higher ridge saw it was a camp
of Sioux Indians. Instead of going back to warn the hunters, they rode
on, and the Indians, who had sighted them at once, came forward to meet
them. The Ind