wild and noisy, but at the same time everything was carried out in admirable order. Upon arriving at a distance of Zoo to 300 yards, the two columns halted face to face. All the chiefs came and shook hands with me in sign of friendship, and bade me welcome to their country. Then, surrounded by the chiefs, I shook hands with all the warlike cohort. Exchanges of horses, weapons and garments took place at the same time between the two columns. This first ceremony ended, the four head chiefs acted as an escort to me, as a guard of honor and to prevent any perfidious attack by secret traitors who might be determined to take vengeance on the pale-face.' Preceded by the banner of the holy Virgin, we next took the direction of the main camp, which was ten or twelve miles away and consisted of nearly Goo lodges. Once across Powder river, a close column was formed, and strict military order was observed. The accoutrements were wholly savage. Plumes of eagles and other birds adorned their long hair, and even their steeds had them in their manes and tails, mingled with silk ribbons of various colors and scalps captured from the enemy. Each one had his visage daubed according to his own ideas, with black, yellow or blue, streaked and spotted in every imaginable shade. I took part in this real and unique masquerade, which is seen but seldom here and which I had in no wise expected. Nevertheless, my heart was as tranquil and my mind as calm as if I had been in the midst of you, and I ceased not to form very sincere vows for their conversion. We made our entry into the camp in the midst Of 4,000 to 5,000 Indians, big and little, who received us with every sign of lively and sincere joy. Soon afterward, I took possession of a large lodge, pitched in the centre of the camp, which had been prepared for me
s By the penal code in force among the savages, every Indian who has lost a member of his family at the hands of the whites is obliged to avenge himself on the first white man he meets. Well, there were a good many of them in this position at the time of my arrival among them.- Author's Note.