" The Chief selected about a dozen of his
braves, and all being seated in a circle, two of our party on one
side of the Chief, and Uncle Kit at his right, a pipe was lit and
the Chief took one whiff, the smoke of which he blew up into the
air. He then took another whiff, and turning to his chief guest,
handed him the pipe, who blew a whiff into the air and the second
one into the face of the host. This performance having been gone
through with for each guest, the Chief then handed the pipe to the
first Indian on his right, and thus it went around the circle,
each Indian blowing a whiff into the air.
It was considered a great breach of etiquette to speak, or even
smile, during this ceremony.
This Indian village was situated at Pawnee Rock, on the Arkansas
river, in a beautiful valley, in what is now the southwest corner
of Benton Co., Kan. The wick-i-ups were made of poles set on ends,
gathered together at the top, and covered with buffalo skins from
which the hair had been removed.
The Kiowas were, at that time, the most numerous tribe of Indians
in the United States.
Early the next morning after our dog-feast and peace-smoke, our
party was up and off, and I was particularly glad to get away,
feeling that I would rather camp out and feed on buffalo,
antelope, jack-rabbits and wild turkey than dwell in the lodges of
Kiowas and be "honored" with banquets of the nicest dogs in all
that region.
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