some shrubbery. We are now in the territory of the Sioux
Indians, a party of whom are now about our wagons. They are very
desirous to beg or buy provisions, particularly sugar, coffee, and
liquor. The chief was here and made himself known to us. Their dress is
very simple and confined to adults, the children going naked, except a
bit of cloth fastened about their loins. This tribe is quite friendly,
and the chief signified that anything that we might lay out of our
wagons would be perfectly safe. They look quite intelligent for Indians
and superior to what I had expected to see. Some of them are now
practicing with their bows and arrows for the amusement of the
emigrants. The wind has been very high all day and the dust troublesome.
The sun has just sunk down in the west, casting a crimson flush upon the
dark clouds that hang like a dark curtain drawn across the west.
Companies of emigrants have encamped all around us, and should the
Indians make an attack upon us, at least two hundred men could be
gathered in ten minutes. Distance, twenty-five miles.

MAY 23.

Today we continued our travel over a sandy soil, making slow progress in
consequence. We set out at daybreak, and after going a couple of miles,
came to an Indian village. They live in tents made of buffalo skins.
These skins they support on poles set round in a circle on the ground,
and fastened together at the top. In cold weather they make their fires
in the center of the tent and have an aperture in the top for the smoke
to escape. These Indians, like all others, are always ready to trade,
and will sometimes give enormous prices for articles they happen to
fancy. Sugar and coffee are prized very highly by them. I have known
them to give from $1 to $3 per pint for the first, and as they seem to
have plenty of money just now, it will be a profitable trade for those
who have a surplus of these articles. Before I left the United States I
was not aware that these articles could be sold at such prices among the
Indians. Distance, twenty miles.

MAY 24.

Traveling two miles this morning, we came to another Indian encampment
of some thirty-five tents. They were encamped upon a beautiful and
expansive plain. These Indians are of the same character of those we saw
yesterday. When we passed by, the sun was just rising and the scene was
quite picturesque. These Indians have a large number of ponies and
mules, which were scattered over the valley feeding, while s