Feb. 27th

I again went up to the Blackfoot Camp this time with Welch alone. I intended making a sketch of the camp, but the wind was too cold + numbed my fingers. Crowfoot had quite recovered and was rejoicing accordingly. I promised to operate on the eyes of one of his sons[?]/ I [?] making an artificial pupil, when I can get some instruments. No Mail, oh my.

Feb 26th

This morning shortly after breakfast, I took Welch and Jerry Potts, our interpreter[?] and went up to the Blackfoot Camp to see their Chief Crowfoot, who was quite sick. I gave him some medicine, and then assisted[?] Jerry in endeavoring to persuade a runaway squaw to come back to her husband. We succeeded. Since our arrival the squaws have struck[?], refusing to work and the husbands are in a quandary, if they follow their usual plan they would kill or mutilate the women, + thus keep them in order, but the women would now report this to the Commissioner, + the place would be rather hot[?] for the husbands. It is too bad. Again the day has passed and no Mail. Good night.

Feb 25th

Last night after going to bed, I tossed from side to side all night long what sleep I got was disturbed by frightful dreams, and I wakened this morning with a feeling of utter unrest, + disinclination- to do think or say anything. I did manage to attend sick parade, but that was all – ate nothing day long, but sat moping around. I thought it was the blues, but think now I must have taken cold. I am all right again this evening and am presently going to have some supper. It has been a cold dismal day storming all the time old Crowfoot says this is the last storm of the winter after this has gone, the birds will be coming out + Spring will be here. I hope so sincerely. I heard that my last letter to you has not yet gotten farther than Whoop Up, 25 miles. Quick traveling[?] is it not. That is the way things go in this country. Of course no Mail has come in yet.

Feb 17th

I am afraid that this can scarcely be called a ‘diary letter’. So many days have passed without my writing anything in it. I leave you to imagine the humdrum life I am leading, every day the same thing. On Monday night Crozier Welch Denny and I went up to Crowfoot’s Camp to the dance. The evening did not pass quite so pleasantly as former ones perhaps because we were becoming satiated with so much dissipation. Crozier Welch + Denny were each kissed by various squaws + had to give them a pledge, we returned to the Fort early. I was not called upon to dance. I was just as well pleased as tho’ I had danced at the evening. On Tuesday Waxy’s trial was finished and he was convicted of indirectly trading whiskey to the Indians, + sentenced to a fine of $500.00 + six months imprisonment. He is now cogitating over his misdemeanors in the Guard Room. Smith was fined $300.00 and six months imprisonment. The warrant for his imprisonment was held over + he is to leave the country, not to come back within a year. One or two minor cases also came off relative to the possession of horses. Tuesday night my tooth began aching + kept me awake the greater part of the night. It has continued to ache all day to day + is still pounding away. It did not prevent me going with Col. McLeod to the Willow Creek Bluff about ¾ miles from the Camp to signal to some of the officers. A horse race came off this afternoon between Allen’s + Kanouse’s horses. Kanouse won. I saw the race from the Bluff. I took another sketch of the exterior of the Fort of Col. McLeod, he is going to send it to his sister Mrs Baldwin + to have it Photographed. My tooth aches so I can scarcely sit still, nothing does it any good, but rubbing the gum with strong Tr[?] Sodium. I must tell you before I stop that it is raining to night, a slight drizzle, but enough to show you that now, it is not very cold. Good night darling. I hope soon to hear from you. Perhaps by tomorrow you will have received my last letters. I do not know when this will meet your eye, but am afraid it will not be for some time. Good night once more.

Febr. 12th

I have been prevented from writing since the ninth by various things, but will endeavour to give you some idea of what was going on. Let me see this is Friday the 12th. Wednesday was the 10th nothing of my moment happened. Denny and I had intended in the evening going up to Crowfoot’s Camp, as there was a big dance there but Col. McLeod made us try our hands as signaling with lights. This kept us until nearly nine o’clock but Denny and I not to [be] frightened by a cold night + a walk of two miles, arrive at the Indian encampment at a fashionable hour, we took along with us some coffee molasses + cornmeal. The arrival of our august presence, with the aforementioned luxuries added new zest to the dancers. We were ushered into a lodge about 12 ft in diameter + managed to pick our way + to find a seat. The lodge was densely packed. There were 3 rows of Indians all around, + on about half the circumference the crowd was about 4 or 5 thick. Six drums gave us a chiming noise. We remained there until nearly one o’clock. It was very amusing to see how the Indians enjoyed the mush + molasses. I carried on a desperate flirtation with no less than four squaws, they made me get up + dance again + again. One of them had managed to get more than her share of the mush + being obliged to get up + dance, was in a quandary not knowing what to do with her porridge. So I galliantly came to her rescue + took her porridge + hid it. When suddenly I was called upon to dance. So I had to take this tin can full of mush and putting my glove over it, held it high over my head + danced. I enjoyed myself very much. On Thursday we had a visit from Crowfoot and several other Indians + in the evening we practiced for several hours at signaling. To day the morning passed as usual until 11 o’clock when Weatherwax’s trial went on for the examination of some witnesses who were obliged to leave before the real trial came off. Nothing new was elicited. This afternoon Denny and I went up again to the Indian Camp to take our lesson in Blackfoot. Denny also wished to get a pair of moccasins. We remained there for some time + came home by the river, firing at some objects in the bank as we came down. After dinner we had another trial of the signals, + then retired, only to be wakened up about 11 o’clock by the entrance of Crozier + his party who have just returned with a prisoner. Some account of what he did I will reserve until tomorrow.

Feb 9th

Well last night Col. Macleod, Capt. Jackson, Allen, Denny + myself went for Conrad + took him over to the squaw dance. It was a lodge. No light save for that of the fire in the center. The people all sat around in the lodge on the sleeping bunks, the men on one side the squaws + children on the other. The orchestra consisting of the drums, like tambourines without the bells, kept up an incessant tom tom, + the voices of the men + women kept time with the dancers + tom toms, in a melancholic, monotonous chant. Every now and then one chap would become very much excited, + start up in the circle dancing around the fire + dance in a most excited manner. Their dancing consists in a simple bending on the knees keeping the feet close together + keeping time with the music. The dancer may vary his dance by numerous absurd + grotesque attitudes or movements, + must keep continually singing. The[y] had tea to refresh themselves with during the interlude and also pipes. Now and again while the band was resting some buck would get up + make a speech telling of the wonderful + doughty deeds he had done. The squaws would dance up to the one they wished to dance with + pull him out from his seat. If they wished + were allowed, they could kiss you, after which you were excepted to give them a blanket. Denny, Jackson + the Col were each pulled and made to dance. They felt too much respect for me, so I was allowed to sit in dignified quietness. The lodge contained more than 36 persons. How they even managed to crowd in is a mystery. A space not 10 feet in diameter to hold so many + allow room for a fire + for dancing. We had the true unadulterated genuine Indian preference. I had a visit from Crowfoot the Chief of this faction of the Blackfoot, he brought a couple of his squaws along and a little child, a pretty little creature, whom he called Pouse [Blackfoot: “pussy cat/kitten”] after some kind of bird. I showed Crowfoot my family + my sketches. I had one of himself, he recognized it immediately, as also did his squaws. Was that not a triumph of art? The old man had a headache so I gave him a Seidlitz powder. You should have seen the look of bewildered amusement as the powder began to fizz. He repeated over + over again, *Skoon-a-taps-salui, which means ‘very strong medicine’. Afterwards we refreshed him with some Ginger tea, which elevated him so that he was almost tipsy. Then as it was lunch time, I gave him and his squaws some bread and meat, they eat their fill + departed shaking hands with every expression of delight.

This served to pass the greater part of the morning with pleasure and profit, for I succeeded in adding several words, properly pronounced, to my Indian vocabulary. By one o’clock it had begun to snow and continued to do so for the remained of the afternoon. Capt. Winder took a party of men and seized a wagon load of robes which appear to have been traded for whiskey. They were not able to bring them all the way to Camp on account of the heavy roads but left them under guard, about a mile from the Fort. Quite a little excitement was caused by the sound of four shots heard in the direction of this wagon, + a party of men was at once detailed to go out and see what was wrong. It proved to be a party of men who had been guarding the wagon + who had been relieved, fancying themselves lost, who fired to attract attention. Col. Macleod has brought out a code of signals with the flag, at which we have been diligently employing ourselves to learn, so that now, what with my anatomy, Blackfoot, Solar observations, French + signaling, I have spent my time pretty well occupied. I must now say Good night to you my Darling. I hope that you will sleep sound and have pleasant dreams. I expect to sleep as sound + as quietly as I ever did.

Sunday. Feb. 7th

This morning a lot of Buffalo could be seen from my window, about half a mile from the Fort. Some Indians went after them and I witnessed a fair Buffalo hunt before breakfast. This afternoon I went over to the Indian Camp, taking Denny and some medicines along with me. We chatted with the squaws in the tent with some of the sick children, and really had a good deal of fun. I have not an idea of what they said, nor do I suppose they know what Denny + I were talking but the laugh always came in at the right time. We then found the Chief’s lodge + paid him a visit. His name is Crowfoot, he entertained us showed us all his finery, his war dress, bow + arrows, guns + knives, + then began to tell us stories of his achievements. We did not understand a word he said but his gestures were so energetic life like and real that we could not fail to take in all he meant. He showed us some feathers, eagle feathers + described how he saw it floating high in the air, how he hid himself in a hole in the ground, how the eagle came down to catch a fish, how he grasped it by the foot, killed it + took its feathers, then how he was shot on various occasions each time showing us his wound. The afternoon was passed in a very amusing way. A large squaw dance was going on this evening + great must have been the merriment to judge from the sound of the voices. I enjoyed the luxury of a good bath tonight and consequently feel much better. My tooth has not troubled me for two or three days. Good night + pleasant dreams.