he sprang upon his horse, and riding through the circle, was lost behind the more distant crowd of warriors. [A] We afterwards learned that this Indian had become enamoured of a young girl of his own tribe, the wife of another; but her husband having gone upon some expedition, she had taken advantage of his absence to leave her nation with her lover; and together they had fled to the Pawnee village, which they reached a week previous to our arrival. For a short time after the introduction of the various chiefs, the mass of grim beings hemmed us in, sitting upon the ground like so many dark forms of statuary, without voice or motion. Several at length arose, and coming towards Mr. E——, and Major D——, (the United States agent for the Pawnee Indians,) extended the stem of their pipes to the lips of each, then, instantly retiring, resumed their station in the crowd. By this action, we afterwards learned, that each pledged himself to present a horse to the person to whom he extended his pipe. In the meanwhile, two old men, who had no horses to lose by the free indulgence of liberal feelings, rose up, and by loud and vehement harangues, endeavoured to pique the liberality of the rest. They boasted of the number they would bestow, _if they but had them_, and recounted as examples the acts of generosity which they had performed in their youth. As that youth ran far back, beyond the memory of the oldest inhabitant, there was little probability of their being contradicted. After they had finished, the Wild Horse, (I do not recollect his Indian name) the principal warrior of the nation, stood up and harangued the assembled multitude. He launched out in a long panegyric upon the whites, which was delivered with a warmth of expression no doubt greatly increased by the sight of the wagons laden with presents. This warrior was one of the most singular as well as ferocious of the tribe; and many were the tales of his war expeditions, afterwards related to us by the trappers, as we lay stretched around our night-fires. His height could have been but little short of seven feet, and every limb was in proportion. Unlike the rest of his tribe, his hair remained unshaven, and hung in long tangled locks, which reached nearly to his waist, and were profusely smeared with red ochre. His low, retreating forehead was almost buried in wrinkles; and his eyes, deep set in his head, glowed like living coals. His nose was large and prominent; and the size of an enormous mouth was not at all diminished by two streaks of vermilion, which he had drawn from each corner, to his ears. He wore neither covering nor ornament, unless the profusion of black clay and red ochre which covered his body, deserved that name. He stood out in his naked proportions a giant among those who surrounded him; and the wild energy of his gesticulation as he delivered his harangue, showed the prodigious strength hidden in his form, and which only required an occasion to bring it into action.