plaiting their hair and painting their faces and chests and arms.
The two captains waited until nearly noon. Then the red pirogue was dispatched, under Sergeant Pryor, accompanied by old Pierre, to bring the chiefs and warriors. The white pirogue was loaded with goods, but the red pirogue had been emptied for repairs. Even then the Sioux so crowded it that it scarcely could be rowed. A number of the young Sioux waded into the river and swam across.
Now there were more Sioux than white men in the United States camp. But they were armed mainly with bows and arrows, while the United States were armed with rifles; and Peter's sharp eyes observed that the cannon in the bow of the barge was pointed right at the camp, ready for business.
Broad-chested and sinewy were these Yankton Sioux, and evidently great warriors. What struck Peter and the soldiers, especially, were the necklaces of claws stitched in bands of buckskin or red flannel, and hanging low on those broad chests. Many warriors wore them.
"D' you mean to say those are b'ar claws!" exclaimed John Shields, one of the Kentuckians.
"Oui, my frien'," assured Drouillard, the hunter. "Dey claw of great white bear—so we call heem. Beeg! More beeg dan one ox. An' 'fraid? He not 'fraid of notting. To keel one white bear make Injun beeg warrior."
