THE TALK. 181 
- The chief threw aside his riding dress and came up to our 
tent to dine, “in puris naturalibus,” except his red blanket. 
The only ornament or appendage he wore was a long tail of 
buffalo hair, depending from a bunch of eagle’s feathers, 
fastened on the crown of his head, and reaching in a four-fold 
plait to the ground; a mark of his rank in the tribe. In 
eating, drinking and smoking, he appeared very abstemious, 
but this turned out to be “ for the nonce.” | He wrote (or at 
least copied) our names, and told Conner, who was interpreter, 
to tell the captain, that when the sun went down, he wanted 
to talk. ‘ 6 olen vies 
In the afternoon the elder of the wives visited us and 
interested us very.much by her simplicity and curiosity, A 
burning glass, compass and magnet were shown her, and her 
delight knew no bounds, until finally the old chief, either 
fearing she might learn too much, or from jealousy, ordered her 
away, in a short gruff tone, and retired himself to his 
shealing. At sun-down he returned for the talk. After a 
smoke he commenced, holding in his hand a bundle of short 
stalks of grass. Handing these, one by one, to the Captain, 
he made his remarks upon each, representing by each, one of 
the chiefs or war captains of his band, and giving his dispo- 
sition towards the whites. After remarking upon four of 
high standing, and three of mediocrity, he bundled the 
balance, eight in number, in a bundle, and handed them 
together, with a grunt and remark, ‘‘no count.” He then 
expressed himself as anxious to come into any measures pro- 
16* - 
