side of the river, and we were not long in camp before
some thirty of the villagers paid us a visit, headed by an old,
bow-legged warrior. They all approached with extended hand, exclaiming,
"How! How!"--then wandered about the camp; making observations and
taking anything they found loose, and trading with the men. They never
failed to be near when anything like provisions was produced, and were
not at all backward in telling one they were hungry. We gave some a
little soup, which they liked very much, taking especial care, however,
to avoid the vegetables which it contained. A party of boys among them
amused us by shooting down little ornaments with their arrows,
receiving as reward the ornaments which served as targets. They also
ran several foot races with our little drummer boy, the honors being
divided. The Indians are bold riders, the harness on their horses
consisting only of a Mexican bit and a rawhide bridle. They twist their
feet inside the horses' forelegs, and the animals might as well try to
get rid of their tails as of one of these copper-colored devils.

This evening a party of women came over, with skins and moccasins to
trade. Some of the younger ones were comely looking maidens. One old
squaw, accompanied by two daughters, made a trade with one of the men,
giving a buffalo robe for a double-sized silk handkerchief, blue, with
red and yellow flowers. She no sooner spread it to the breeze than both
daughters besieged her for it, but she turned and ran with her prize,
pursued by the two damsels.

_June 9_ (Wednesday). We made a march of seventeen and a quarter miles,
to the crossing of the South Fork of the Platte River. It was very warm
during the morning, and the soles of our shoes became very smooth from
marching through the dead grass. At noon, though, it commenced raining,
and continued to do so all afternoon and evening. After arriving at our
camp ground we had to wait nearly an hour for the train, which through
some cause had been detained. We kindled a fire and crowded around it,
three or four deep.

The Lieutenant, Dwyer (the wagon-master), and two or three other men
mounted mules last night, took a day's provisions, and started up the
river to seek the crossing here. Finding it, they spent the night with
the old Cheyenne chief, Spotted Tail, who had two or three wigwams at
the crossing. They were entertained in a distinguished manner by his
dusky highness, returning in the morning to the com