In the afternoon the greater part of the population were observed coming from the village towards our camp. As they drew near, we ascertained that many were painted, armed, and decorated as if for war. Petalesharoo advanced, and gave notice that he had brought some of his warriors, for the purpose of honouring his American father with a dance. The dancers were about forty in number, and their movements and evolutions were similar to those of the Grand Pawnees. The deep-toned gong was so entirely concealed in the centre of the mass of dancers, that it was with difficulty we ascertained whence the wild and measured sound proceeded, which regulated their simultaneous movements. It was accompanied by other simple instruments, and occasionally interrupted from the ear by the piercing note of the whistle, or the sudden discharge of a gun, with the muzzle directed to the earth. At the termination of the first dance, the partizan requested {85} the accompaniment of our music for the succeeding dance. The music accordingly struck up, with the renewed beating of the gong; but it immediately threw them all into confusion, and after vainly endeavouring to regain their regularity, they ceased. Again the experiment was tried, and again it produced inextricable confusion. This repeated result brought a smile to the countenance of the partizan, who expressed his conviction, that his party was unable to dance to the music of the white people. The principal men having now arrived, agreeably to invitation, they were introduced into a large skin lodge which had been erected for us by the orders of Latelesha, as our marquee was too feeble to resist a strong wind which prevailed during the day. Presents were made to Latelesha and the Metiff chief. The latter transferred his parcel to Latelesha, who laid the whole before Petalesharoo, to dispose of as he thought proper. The young chief appointed two persons to distribute them; and thus the whole was disposed of, though very unequally. The chiefs then returned their thanks and withdrew. I passed the night at the lodge of the Metiff chief, and in the evening was amused by the exhibition of another dancing party, who concluded by inviting the chief to partake of a feast, to be given on the following day, for the purpose of dispelling his grief for the loss of his brother, in the late contest with the Indians of the Rocky Mountains. This severe battle was fought by ninety-three Pawnee Loup warriors, against a large body of Ietans, Arrapahoes and Kiawas.[48] [48] The Arapaho were a tribe of Algonquian stock, which, with the kindred Cheyenne, had pushed their way through the country of the hostile Sioux to the region of the Black Hills; later, they entered Wyoming and Colorado. Their present number is about seventeen hundred, half in Oklahoma and half in Wyoming.