Ex. Doc. No. 41. 537 



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IIIDS. 



The Indians were not less wet than niyself, for they had tied their 

 legjrins close around their ancles to protect their legs from being in- 

 jured when the ice broke through. After a run of a quarter of a 

 mile, we ayrLved at the Indian lodges. The chief called^ three of 

 his party, who took my socks and leggins and moccasins; with 

 little sncks they beat off the ice; they wrung the water out of ray 

 clothes, and dried them by the fire. In the meanwhile I was 

 obliged to sit with as little clothing on as ever any Indian wore. 

 The Indians soon fixed a place for me to sit. In a short time they 

 cooked some buffalo meat, and gave me the largest share of fat and 

 of lean, which they placed on a flat stone m fault of a plnte. 



•Feignin^r after a while that I wanted to re-cross the river, I 

 stepped cut to reconnoitre. The snow storm had caused the In- 

 dians to collect their mules in the little gorges which abound 

 among the sand bills that are found on this side of the Ar^ansasj 

 the mules were also covered with skins of wolves and buff.iloes cO 

 protect them. I could not see any thing of the mules I had lost.^ 

 The snow storm now raged fiercely, and I returned to the camp ol 

 the Indians, telling them that the storm raged too furiously for me 

 to cross the river. . We laid down to sleep, which was now and 

 then interrupted by the entrance of some of the Indian sentinels, 

 Who reported every change in the weather, or any movement 

 among the buffalo; although the latter were very numerous, sal 

 these Indians were almost without food; and while I was wuh 

 them' some of the subordinates came to dance the "beggar s dance 

 before the chief's lodge. I asked him what ^^e dancers meant, arul 

 was told that they wanted something.to eat. The chief then gaje 

 them some buffalo meat. This confirmed me in the suspicion that 

 these fellows had stolen our mules. It was now evident that ^they 

 were hire for some mischievous purpose, and would "ft ^^re a. ine 

 buffalo for fear passers-by should hear their g^J^^„ ^^J^^^.^'^^'^ ^^'J^ 

 to their lair. I asked them why they did not kill buffalo. They 

 answered, without hesitancy, that their gun. m.gat ^ouyp^Aie. 

 of Cheyenne*?, which were continually making '-vvar p^ths through 

 their country! I asked them what they were doing ^^;^^°° *^; 

 Arkansas. Th^y said that there was no grass towards tl^e north en 

 region where they lived, and that they had brought the r o^uls 

 he?e to graze; but, be it known that they were ^'fj'* ^'i^^^ 

 women and children, and without lodges, not travelling hke a 

 peaceful grazing party, but prepared for war and robbery 



In the evening the storm cleared away; and with the pM e 

 uidance of the Indians, I managed to cross t^e river witho- 

 reaking the ice, which was still weak, although much stronger 



than it was this morning. .- , , ^^rr^ for there 



My men had lain abed all day, in order to ^'^^P ,^^',^\ 7' u„-,l 



was L wood to be had on this side of the ^^^ ^^^^^ J^^^^^h^oppl 

 fires I told them that they could get p enty of wood ^n t^he opp 

 site side; but they broke fhrough the ice,^^and were obliged 

 return; we were fain to use "buffalo chips. ^rn«tsed the 



February ll.-This morning my men arose ear.y and crossed 



