those which were in possession of neighboring tribes. I have
elsewhere pointed out that among most of the Plains tribes the
practice of taking horses from the enemy became a regular
profession.

When we read of wars by the Indians, we think chiefly of
surprises and battles, and the killing and scalping of enemies;
but while such imaginings would fit many war journeys, there
were many brave and successful warriors of the Cheyennes
who never went on war-paths of this description, who on their
war journeys tried to avoid coming in close contact with
enemies, and had no wish to kill enemies. Such men went to
war for the sole purpose of increasing their possessions by cap-
turing horses; that is, they carried on war as a business--for
profit. Some of these--men who possessed high reputation for
courage, success, and general well-doing--made it their boast
that they had never killed a man, and perhaps had never
counted a coup. Such men specialized in capturing horses: their
interest in war lay in that alone. An example is Big Foot, who,
when with two companions he came upon a mounted Ute In-
dian and the Ute was shot from his horse, paid no attention
to the wounded man--toward whom his two companions were
racing, each wishing to have the glory of the first coup--but
rode off as fast as he could to capture the enemy's horse.

On another occasion a war-party, of whom Big Foot was one,
charged a body of the enemy, who fled. Big Foot was riding a
very fast horse and noticed that one of the enemy was riding
a particularly fine horse. Instead of taking part in the fight, he
followed this man, and, when he overtook him, did not try to
kill him, but threw his rope over him, dragged him from his
horse, and, letting the man go, caught the horse and went off
with it. ¹

Men famous for success in this particular field of war were
Old Yellow Wolf, who lived in the first half of the nineteenth
century, and was killed at Sand Creek; Big Foot, who died

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