this tea-broth would not be easily calculated, but I forgave
them and the sires that begot them.

Whilst we were at our meal, a half-perished Nahcotah Indian came to our
fire, whom I saw at the dance of the braves the day before. I remembered
him the moment he came up, from his having attracted my attention during
the dance by firing his gun over the heads of the dancers, and then
presenting it to one of the braves. Miler had informed me that it was
not unusual upon such occasions for savages who look on to become so
excited as to give everything away that they have. This was what this
poor devil had done; he had parted with his gun and all his little
property, and was now going a journey of six or eight days to the
Cheyenne River to kill buffalo, without any arms, and without anything
to eat by the way. Some one had given him an old pistol without a lock
to it, and seating himself by the fire without saying a word, he after a
while pulled it out, and asked Miler if I would repair it, and give him
some powder and ball? I told Miler to inform him that people could not
make locks for pistols when they were travelling on the prairie in such
stormy weather, but that I would give him something to eat, and directed
the men to give him some of the pork and biscuit out of their pot, which
he seemed to enjoy very much.

Feeling once more comfortable after a hearty supper, I entered my tent,
and remained there to a late hour bringing up my notes, which I had few
opportunities of doing at Lac qui Parle. Before I lay down I could not
help contrasting the cheerless prospect before me at sunset and the
suffering I experienced with the cheerful state of mind and body I had
now returned to, and for which I trust I was most sincerely grateful to
God, who had preserved me in continued health and safety. I felt
completely wound up again, and ready to go on for any length of time,
especially with the reasonable prospect of a good night's rest before
me.

Such are the agreeable excitements attending this kind of life, to those
who can enter without prejudice into the spirit of it. Certainly, whilst
your progress is successful, it is delightful. You have plenty to eat,
and you enjoy what you eat; you are amused and instructed; it is true it
is often cold, but then it is not always so. You encamp when you please;
you cut down as large a tree as you please, and you make as large a fire
of it as you please, without fearing an action of tresp