This was a raid, not warfare, so they travelled each on a favorite horse, with a minimum of weapons. Beckwourth was dressed the same as the rest, in breechcloth and leggings, an elk-skin shirt to his mid-thigh, and a buffalo robe over his shoulder. The only reminder of his prior life was the coin around his neck. They trotted north by moonlight, away from the village and into a great open stillness. In time they reached the Missouri River. Smaller streams to the south could be forded at this time of year, but this great river had to be swum. They wrapped their guns and powder inside buffalo hides with a ballast of rocks at the bottom and a leather drawstring at the top and pushed that along as they swam to the far shore. Beckwourth came out wet and shivering, but their guns and powder were
