SIOUX VILLAGE — BUFFALO-DUNG — THE IRON HEART. 255 



Saturday^ September 28. — Morning clear and bright. At an 

 early hour several of our yesterday's visitors were on the ground, 

 in the hope of securing a good breakfast. We mentioned to them 

 our loss of the previous evening, and they promised to do what 

 they could to recover our property. The train was directed to 

 move forward under the charge of Major Bridger; while, accom- 

 panied by a whole troop of Indians, I rode over to the village to 

 pay my respects to the chief, according to promise. This village 

 was the largest and by far the best-looking of any I had ever seen. 

 It consisted of nearly one hundred lodges, most of which were en- 

 tirely new, pitched upon the level prairie which borders on the 

 verdant banks of the Laramie. No regular order seemed to be 

 observed in their position, but each builder appeared to have se- 

 lected the site for his habitation according to his own fancy. 



We rode at once to the lodge of the chief, which was painted in 

 broad horizontal stripes of alternate black and white, and, on the 

 side opposite to the entrance, was ornamented with large black 

 crosses on a white ground. We found the old fellow sitting on the 

 floor of his lodge, and his squaw busily engaged over a few coals, 

 endeavouring to fry, or rather to boil, in a pan nearly filled with 

 grease, some very suspicious-looking lumps of dough, made doubt- 

 less from the flour they had received from us yesterday. The chief 

 courteously invited us to take something to eat, which, having the 

 fear of the very questionable lumps aforesaid before our eyes, we 

 modestly declined. By the aid of one of my men who had been 

 among these tribes for two years, I made out to inform him that 

 some of his young men had, when on a visit to our camp yesterday, 

 stolen some of our property, and requested him to take measures 

 for its restoration. He at once said that there were in the compa- 

 ny of visitors a number of Cheyenne Indians, and that they, and 

 not the Siouxs, (or "Dahcotahs," as they all called themselves,) must 

 have been the depredators. He promised, however, to send out the 

 crier, and try to ascertain whether the things could not be re- 

 covered. I soon recognised the cry of the old Indian of yesterday, 

 who went around the village making proclamation of the loss. 

 After some further conversation, another chief, named the " Iron 

 Heart," rose up and invited us to a feast at his lodge : we accord* 

 ingly accompanied him, and found him occupying the largest and 

 most complete structure in the village, although I was assured that 

 the Sioux frequently make them much larger. It was intended to 

 be used whenever required, for the accommodation of any casual 



