AN INDIAN VILLAGE 221 



wild ducks, mostly mallards, hung along one 

 side of the roof of the car. The other side 

 was hung with prairie chickens, while from 

 the rear end of the car were suspended thir- 

 teen antelopes. 



The white tepees of the tribe dotted the 

 prairies for a radius of several miles, and my 

 son and I spent considerable time in wander- 

 ing among these aborigines. We treated 

 them courteously and did not attempt at all 

 to pry into their domestic affairs, but walked 

 along as if we were on business bent. We had 

 learned from the man who was the station 

 master, operator, ticket agent, and jack-of-all- 

 trades for the railroad company, that some 

 persons who had intruded into some of the 

 tepees had been rudely handled. The Indi- 

 an's tent is his castle, just as the white man's 

 house is his. Occasionally a buck would stop 

 and speak a few words with us and then go 

 his way. 



We had a baggage car with us and in it 

 we carried several hunting dogs. Two of 

 these were left outside at night to give warn- 

 ing if any one should come near either of the 

 cars to steal the game. As the Indians seemed 

 to pay no attention whatever to our stores of 

 venison and wild birds, our vigilance was re- 



