stanley vestal

Here is a story, in thinly disguised fictional form, of Plains Indians, especially a Cheyenne chief, Whirlwind—his manner of life, his beliefs, and particularly, his love of his son. The villain is a Mandan who is given refuge in the Cheyenne camp and then wreaks havoc with the lives of his hosts. He causes a battle with the Sioux, steals the chief’s favorite wife, and slays the chief’s young son. Whirlwind’s revenge for the death of his beloved son provides a dramatic climax.

Happy Hunting Grounds recaptures Cheyenne life on the plains. The battles, celebrations, and lifeways of the Indians—Sioux, Cheyennes, and Mandans—are accurately and graphically portrayed. This volume is illustrated with drawings and paintings by Frederick Weygold, reflecting his own long association with the Plains tribes.