Stealing Horses
Ethnographic Notes
One of the most-dangerous exploits, and therefore the more honorable, was stealing horses at night from an enemy camp. Select horses were staked out near the owner's lodge, rather than being herded away from the village. The hovering insects are intended as mosquitos (capunka---Buechel. 1970:127) part of the occupational hazard. The artist shows that he stole FOUR, fine animals on one dangerous occasion. Compare Plate 59. A rattlesnake's rattle is tied under the throat of the blue horse. Compare the similar bells in Plates 67, 59 & 40.