learning generally, that the fatigue 

 of watching her bungling, was greater 

 than doing the thing itself. 



I had been a witness of the mock 

 wedding the week before, and now on 

 the following Sunday at the Feast of 

 the Dog Dance, I was to see the second 

 and final scene. 



I remember how blazing hot it was, 

 and how dusty, as we drove in a 

 springless lumber wagon three miles 

 out from the Agency where the 

 Indians were encamped. Every 

 stone, every leaf was shrouded in a 

 thick dust garment even the river 

 bed of the Little Bighorn had shrunk 

 to a mere thread ; the heat rose from 

 the alkali dust in shimmering waves 

 fairly cooking us brown, as in an 

 oven. Drawing near the gala ground 

 we saw many teepees dotted along 

 the banks with only a few clumps 

 of willows and one or two scraggly 

 cottonwoods to break the awful 

 glare. Many of the teepees were 

 painted, which made them most 

 picturesque. A large one coloured 

 dull red, stood out for miles. It was 

 further decorated with a band of 



