"Ho! Eastman is all wahkun!"
The Indians are fond of boasting and communicating their exploits and
usages to those who have their confidence. While my husband has
delineated their features with the pencil, I have occupied pleasantly
many an hour in learning from them how to represent accurately the
feelings and features of their hearts--feeble though my pen be. We never
failed to gain a point by providing a good breakfast or dinner.
With the Rev. Mr. Pond and Dr. Williamson, both missionaries among the
Sioux, I had many a pleasant interview and talk about the tribe. They
kindly afforded me every assistance--and as they are perfectly
acquainted with the language of the Sioux, and have studied their
religion with the view to introduce the only true one, I could not have
applied to more enlightened sources, or better authority.
The day we left Fort Snelling, I received from Mr. Pond the particulars
of the fate of the Sioux woman who was taken prisoner by the Chippeways,
and who is represented in the legend called The Wife. Soon after her
return to her husband, he was killed by the Chippeways; and the
difficulty was settled by the Chippeways paying to the Sioux what was
considered the value of the murdered man, in goods, such as calico,
tobacco, &c.
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