64 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL. 77 
of the Missouri their villages undoubtedly resembled the skin-covered 
tipi settlements of the other kindred tribes, and later, when they had 
pushed farther into the prairie country, there was probably no change 
in the appearance of their structures. A very interesting account of 
the villages of this tribe, with reference to their ways of life, after 
they had arrived on the banks of the Platte, is to be found in the 
narrative of Stansbury’s expedition, during the years 1849 and 1850. 
July 2, 1849, the expedition crossed the South Fork of the Platte, 
evidently at some point in the western part of the present Keith 
County, Nebraska, and on the following day “ crossed the ridge be- 
tween the North and South Forks of the Platte, a distance of eighteen 
and a-half miles.” On July 5 the expedition began moving up the 
right bank of the North Fork, and after advancing 23 miles encamped 
on the bank of the river. They had arrived in the region dominated 
by the Oglala. “ Just above us, was a village of Sioux, consisting of 
ten lodges. They were accompanied by Mr. Badeau, a trader; and 
having been driven from the South Fork by the cholera, had fled 
to the emigrant-road, in the hope of obtaining medical aid from the 
whites. As soon as it was dark, the chief and a dozen of the braves 
of the village came and sat down in a semicircle around the front 
of my tent, and, by means of an interpreter, informed me that they 
would be very glad of a little coffee, ‘sugar, or biscuit. I gave them 
what we could spare.” This particular band had not suffered very 
severely from the ailment, but were greatly heartened to receive 
medicines from the doctor, or “medicine-man,” of the expedition, 
and when they returned to their village “the sound of the drum and 
the song, expressive of the revival of hope, which had almost de- 
parted, resounded from the ‘ medicine lodge,’ and continued until a 
late hour of the night.” (Stansbury, (1), pp. 44-45.) During this 
visit some of the Indians told of a larger camp about 2 miles distant, 
where many were ill with the dreaded malady. 
The following morning, July 6, 1849, the expedition resumed its 
advance up the valley, and soon reached the “upper village,” of 
which an interesting account is given in the journal. It “ contained 
about two hundred and fifty souls. They were in the act of break- 
ing up their encampment, being obliged to move farther up the river 
to obtain fresh grass for their animals. A more curious, animated, 
and novel scene I never witnessed. Squaws, papooses, dogs, puppies, 
mules, and ponies, all in busy motion, while the lordly, lazy men 
lounged about with an air of listless indifference, too proud to render 
the slightest aid to their faithful drudges. Before the lodge of each 
brave was erected a tripod of thin slender poles about ten feet in 
length, upon which was suspended his round white shield, with some 
device painted upon it, his spear, and a buckskin sack containing 
his ‘medicine’ bag, , . We continued our journey, accompanied for 
