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Show SIOUX VILLAGE- BUFFALO- DUNG- THE IKON HEART. 255 Saturday, September 28.- Morning clear and bright. At an early hour several of our yesterday's visitors were on tie ground, in the hope of securing a good breakfast. We mentioned to them our loss of the previous evening, and they promised to do what they could to recover our property. The train was directed to move forward under the charge of Major Bridger; while, accompanied by a whole troop of Indians, I rode over to the village to pay my respects to the chief, according to promise. This village was the largest and by far. the best- looking of any I had ever seen. It consisted of nearly one hundred lodges, most of which were entirely new, pitched upon the level prairie which borders on the verdant banks of the Laramie. No regular order seemed to be observed in their position, but each builder appeared to have selected the site for his habitation according to his own fancy. We rode at once to the lodge of the chief, which was painted in * broad horizontal stripes of alternate black and white, and, on the side opposite to the entrance, was ornamented with large black crosses on a white ground. We found the old fellow sitting on the floor of his lodge, and his squaw busily engaged over a few coals, endeavouring to fry, or rather to boil, in a pan nearly filled with grease, some very suspicious- looking lumps of dough, made doubtless from the flour they had received from us yesterday. The chief courteously invited us to take something to eat, which, having the fear of the very questionable lumps aforesaid before our eyes, we modestly declined. By the aid of one of my men who had been among these tribes for two years, I made out to inform him that some of his young men had, when on a visit to our camp yesterday, stolen some of our property, and requested him to take measures for its restoration. He at once said that there were in the company of visitors a number of Cheyenne Indians, and that they, and not the Siouxs, ( or " Dahcotahs," as they all called themselves,) must have been the depredators. He promised, however, to send out the crier, and try to ascertain whether the things could not be recovered. I soon recognised the cry of the old Indian of yesterday, who went around the village making proclamation of the loss. After some further conversation, another chief, named the " Iron Heart," rose up and invited us to a feast at his lodge: we accordingly accompanied him, and found him occupying the largest and most complete structure in the village, although I was assured that the Sioux frequently make them much larger. It was intended to be used whenever required, for the accommodation of any casual |
