party was to leave at once. In groups upon
their favorite ponies the warriors rode around
the inner circle of the great camp, singing their
war-songs. All the people came out of the tee-
pees, and sitting by twos and threes upon the
ground, bedecked with savage finery, they
watched and listened. The pretty wild maid-
ens had this last opportunity given them to
look upon the faces of their sweethearts, whom
they might never see again. Here and there
an old man was singing the gratitude song or
thank-offering, while announcing the first war-
path of a novice, for such an announcement
meant the giving of many presents to the poor
and aged. So the camp was filled with songs
of joy and pride in the departing husbands,
brothers, and sons.

As soon as darkness set in the sound of the
rude native flute was added to the celebration.
This is the lover' s farewell. The young braves,
wrapped from head to foot in their finest robes,
each sounded the plaintive strains near the tee-
pee of the beloved. The playful yodeling of
many voices in chorus was heard at the close
of each song.

At midnight the army of five hundred, the
flower of the Sioux, marched against their an-
cient enemy. Antelope was in the best of spir-