150 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BuU. 104 



We went as far west as Poplar Creek and learned that there were buffaloes farther 

 up that creek; so we went there and found a Sioux camp of 400 tipis. They 

 invited us to join them so we traveled along to Sand Creek and finally to Wolf 

 Mountain where there was a trading post run by Weidman, Bears Arm's brother- 

 in-law. Buffaloes were numerous there so we stopped but the Sioux went on. 

 The White hunters were bringing in green hides for the women to tan at $4 a 

 robe. Our group stayed around the trading post all spring tanning and decorat- 

 ing robes for the trader since the councU had decided to ask permission of the man 

 in charge of the steamboat to send the old people and children back to Fort 

 Buford with him. Those of us who went by land did not travel as fast as the 

 older people. When I got to Fort Buford, I decided to go down to Fishhook 

 Village to see my parents. I asked my wife to pack up some of the dry meat 

 for them. I left my wife at Fort Buford but it was not because we did not get 

 along well. I would have gone back to her since she did not want to live at 

 Fishhook Village if I had not seen Coyote Woman, a Mandan, 



Coyote Woman was very beautiful and I decided to marry her if I could. When 

 I had seen her a few times she said she wanted three horses. I did not promise 

 her at once for I wanted to marry her without putting up the horses. Finally 

 I put up the horses anyway, but my brothers and sisters gave me most of the help. 

 Then her father, Big-Foot-Bull, paid us to come to his lodge to live. Some of 

 the people thought that it was wrong for me to marry her for she was of the 

 Prairie Chicken clan. Others thought that it was all right since we came from 

 different tribes. I got along quite weU with her. She helped me in the walking 

 ceremony and did all she could to help me buy my father's Wolf bundle rites. i' 

 It was not long after we were married that the people went out onto the reserva- 

 tion and we came up here. She died shortly afterward of tuberculosis and then 

 Big-Foot-Bull gave me her sister named Sweetgrass Blossom who died shortly of 

 the same disease. Then he gave me a third sister named Woman and she died. 



By this time the homes were all established on individual allotments on the 

 reservation. The agency was established at Elbowoods and Indian judges were 

 appointed to assist the Agent. Then I married Moves Sweetgrass. She had 

 been married to Edward Goodbird; they could not get along so they separated. 

 She came to me and wanted to marry me so I took her. I had been told that no 

 one could get along with her but at that time I was single and could not find 

 anyone else. I thought, since there is no other woman available who will marry 

 me, I will do the best I can to satisfy her. Whenever we went places I bought 

 her nice clothes. At this time there were Squaw Dances, for the old ceremonies 

 were not given so much, but I did not care to go myself. She liked to go and I 

 always gave her permission to go even though I did not go along. 



She complained that I was stingy. She would say, "When I go to the dances, 

 you should have me give flour, sugar, and calicoes.^" When I go there, I am the 

 only one who does not give things away." She was so mean to my mothers that 

 they stopped coming to see us and I did not like that. At this time I was caring 

 for George Bassett, who was of my father's clan, for he was ill and poor. She 

 refused to care for him and would not prepare my meals for me when I was work- 

 ing in the field. 



One day she said, "I would like you if you would only give away many things 

 at the dances. Then I would carry out your orders." 



i» See "The Wolf Ceremonies" for her contribution (pp. 392-433). 

 •> Wolf Chief had a store at Independence at this time. 



