167 



and crossed it near the mouth of the Little Pioux. 

 We continued our course on the north side of 

 the Missouri, often near it, until we arrived at 

 the lodges, on the Sioux river, which was on the 

 8th, where we prepared to spend the remainder 

 of the winter. It was found that several of the 

 Indians had got frozen. They were very slightly 

 clothed, having nothing more than abuffaloe robe, 

 or a deer, or cabree skin, thrown over their 

 shoulders, with only leggins, their moccasons 

 being worn out. The weather was now. verv se- 

 vere, and the lodges illy calculated to shelter us 

 from it. We covered and patched them up, as 

 well as we could, with dry grass and willow 

 branches. In the centre an opening was made, 

 r ten feet in length, and eighteen inches in width, 

 for the purposes of letting out the smoke, and let- 

 ing in the light. The doors were made close 

 with buffaloe skins. Daring the night, the horses 

 are sheltered under the same cover with the peo- 

 ple, being only separated by a pole. They are 

 fed in the night on willow and button wood 

 branches, and in the day time are turned out to 

 graze on whatever they can find to eat. 



These Indians are the dirtiest creatures on 

 earth. They bring their water for themselves 

 and their horses, in the paunches of the deer and 

 cabree, which are never cleansed more than what 

 is done by constant use. Their meat is cooked 

 in the most filthy manner. When they boil it, 

 they continue the boiling until it can be eaten 



