several days. All must be consumed. This would be impossible were it not for the allowance of the blessed privilege of conducting one or two eaters with us. In some of the Sioux camps the guests are permitted just to touch the dish, and then take it home to their cabins.
In the various camps which I visited, I presented each one of the great chiefs with a medal of our Holy Father, Pope Pius IX. On this occasion I explained to them the high position of the Great Chief of all the Black-robes -the respect, the veneration and the love that all the nations faithful to the Great Spirit testify to his vicar on earth, etc., etc. They immediately brought the calumet, and after having offered it first to the Master of Life, imploring his blessing, the savages, in their engaging simplicity, presented it to his visible representative, entreating me to make known to him the esteem and love which they bear to him, and the ardent desire they entertain to listen to the Blackrobes sent in his name.
When distributing medals to the Indians, these explanations become necessary; for, being naturally inclined to superstition, they often treat those objects with more than respect. A Sioux chief gave me a singular proof of this. While I was suspending the medal of Pius IX. to his neck, he testified an extraordinary joy and gratitude. " I will place it," said he, "with my War-Manitou; it will render me as prudent in councils during peace, as the other has rendered me strong in battle." I asked an explanation of
these words. He at once opened a little box and drew forth from it a package, carefully wrapped up in buckskin. He unrolled it, and, to my great surprise, I saw a colored picture of General Diebitsch,' in full uniform and mounted on a beautiful war-horse. For years the Russian had been the Manitou of war to the Sioux chief; he invoked him and offered him his calumet, before all his enterprises against his enemies, and attributed to him the success of the many victories he had gained. I endeavored to disabuse the poor 6 A Russian officer who served in the Napoleonic wars.