e
patience and endurance of the young Mandans had called forth high
commendations from Austin, and it was evident, in the affair of the
cut finger, that he made a struggle, and a successful one too, in
controlling his feelings. With an air of resolution, he wrapped the
end of his pocket handkerchief tightly round the wound, and passed off
the occurrence as a matter of no moment. Not a word escaped little
Basil when he rolled into the ditch; nor did Brian utter a single
"oh!" when the thorn was extracted from his thumb.

[Illustration: A War-Party.]

"You may depend upon it," said Austin, after some conversation with
Brian and Basil, on the subject of the young Mandans, "that the next
time we see the hunter, we shall hear something about the way in which
red men go to war. The sham fight, and the preparation of the young
warriors, will be followed by some account of their battles." In this
supposition he was quite correct; for, when they next visited the
cottage, the hunter proposed to speak a little about councils and
encampments and alarms and surprises and attacks. The conversation was
carried on in the following manner.

_Austin._ How do the Indians poison their arrows?

_Hunter._ By dipping the point of the arrow-head into the poison
prepared. The head of the arrow, as I told you, is put on very
slightly, so that it remains in the wound when the arrow is withdrawn.

_Brian._ Where do they get their poison? What is it made of?

_Hunter._ No doubt there is some difference in the manner of preparing
poison among the different tribes. But, usually, it is, I believe,
composed of deadly vegetable substances, slowly boiled together,
sometimes mingled with the mortal poison of snakes and ants. This is
prepared with great care. Its strength is usually tried on a lizard,
or some other cold-blooded, slow-dying animal. It is rapid in its
effects; for, if a fowl be wounded with a poisoned weapon, it dies in
a few minutes; a cat dies in five minutes; a bison, in five or six;
and a horse, in ten. Jaguars and deer live but a short time after they
are thus wounded. If, then, horses and bisons are so soon destroyed by
the poison, no wonder that men should be unable to endure its fatal
effects.

Before war is determined on among the Indians, a council is held with
great solemnity. The chiefs, and braves, and medicine men are
assembled. Then the enlisting takes place, which I have already
described; the war dance is engage