"The tribe which we this day saw are a part of the great Sioux nation, and are known by the name of the Teton Okandandas: they are about two hundred men in number, and their chief residence is on both sides of the Missouri, between the Cheyenne and Teton Rivers.
"The men shave the hair off their heads, except a small tuft on the top, which they suffer to grow, and wear in plaits over the shoulders. To this they seem much attached, as the loss of it is the usual sacrifice at the death of near relations. In full dress, the men of consideration wear a hawk's feather or calumet feather, worked with porcupine-quills, and fastened to the top of the head, from which it falls back. The face and body are generally painted with a mixture of grease and coal. Over the shoulders is a loose robe or mantle of buffalo-skin, adorned with porcupine-quills, which are loosely fixed so as to make a jingling noise when in motion, and painted with various uncouth figures unintelligible to us, but to them emblematic of military exploits or any other incident. The hair of the robe is worn next the skin in fair weather; but, when it rains, the hair is put outside. Under this robe they wear in winter a kind of shirt, made either of skin or cloth, covering the arms and body. Round the middle is fixed a girdle of cloth or elk-skin, about an inch in width, and closely tied to the body. To this is attached a piece of cloth or blanket or skin about a foot wide, which passes between the legs, and is tucked under the girdle both before and behind. From the hip to the ankle, the man is covered with leggings of dressed antelope-skins, with seams at the sides two inches in width, and ornamented by little tufts of hair, the product of the scalps they have taken in war, which are scattered down the leg.
"The moccasons are of dressed buffalo-skin, the hair being worn inwards. On great occasions, or whenever they are in full dress, the young men drag after them the entire skin of a polecat, fixed to the heel of the moccason.
"The hair of the women is suffered to grow long, and is parted from the forehead across the head; at the back of which it is either collected into a kind of bag, or hangs down over the shoulders. Their moccasons are like those of the men, as are also the leggings, which do not reach beyond the knee, where they are met by a long, loose mantle of skin, which reaches nearly to the ankles. This is fastened over the shoulders by a string, and has no sleeves; but a few pieces of the skin hang a short distance down the arm. Sometimes a girdle fastens this skin round the waist, and over all is thrown a robe like that worn by the men.
"Their lodges are very neatly constructed. They consist of about one hundred cabins, made of white buffalo-hide, with a larger cabin in the centre for holding councils and dances. They are built round with poles about fifteen or twenty feet high, covered with white skins. These lodges may be taken to pieces, packed up, and carried with the nation, wherever they go, by dogs, which bear great burdens. The women are chiefly employed in dressing buffalo-skins. These people seem well-disposed, but are addicted to stealing any thing which they can take without being observed."
CHAPTER IV.
SUMMARY OF TRAVEL TO WINTER-QUARTERS.
Sept. 1, 1804.—The daily progress of the expedition from this date is marked by no incidents of more importance than the varying fortunes of travel, as they found the river more or less favorable to navigation, and the game more or less abundant on the banks. Their progress was from twelve to twenty miles a day. In general, their sails served them; but they were sometimes obliged to resort to the use of tow-lines, which, being attached to a tree or other firm object on the shore, enabled the men to pull the boat along. This seems but a slow method of voyaging; yet they found it by no means the slowest, and were sorry when the nature of the banks, being either too lofty or too low, precluded their use of it. Their narrative is, however, varied by accounts of the scenery and natural productions of the country through which they passed, and by anecdotes of the Indians. While they are making their toilsome advance up the river, let us see what they have to tell us of the strange people and remarkable objects which they found on their way.