The New York herald., 1851-10-14
The Great Indian Council at Fort Laramie.
From the st. Louis (Mo y Republican, Oct 81
TREATY GROUND, mouth Hore Creek on the platts
Indian Territory, near Fort Lsramie

TnEArY GRouND, mouth Hone Creek, on the pIatts
Indian Territory, near Fort Laramie
avail myself of the opportunity Of the mail which
Belongs the Military Posts this route to send you
has brought US here The sssly departure Of The mail
and the many other demands on my time, prevent me
from bringing up my whole correspopdence II ths
mail should be delayed q few days-whch sometimes oc.
ours here-I may be able to give you uninterrupted
scce unit from the time of my arrival at Laramie.
The DEPARTURE FROM FORT LARAMIE.
On the morning of the 4th, about 10 o'clock broke
up our encampment the Laramie, absut mile above,
and went into the Fort Here repairs were to be made
provisions to be laid in and other attentions to he given
to tie probable necessities Of encampment Of soms
ten and probably fifteen more days In this country
where every thing must be obtained at the depos OF
military stations and the few trading posts it requires
some forethough and consideration to select what Ia
In this expedition Col Mitchell has been put to per.
picking and annoying vexations by the delay of tbs
trains which are bringing the provisions and presents
pected that the wagons twenty seven in number
at least ak days In advance u.s. but
our disappointment, they not started ell
losded AS this was all at the risk Of the
contractors, the superintendent had control
Of tie S0th ut and latest intely yence from tbs
train is their crossing Of the Kansas the 18th ut
Our delay will be chiefly caused by the failure OF the
contractors to bring the government stores up in the
time f2 ed.
Owing to these circumstances, Col. NJ. had to maks
temporary provision for meeting the Indians the
Monday following arrival II is standing rule With
ell Indians that whenever they meet, especially upon
OCCASIONS cnaraC
some kind or other Generally, they expect tobacco to
smoke provisensto eat and at times, other presents
euch as serge blankets vermlon knives, beads, sc,
&C, circumstances may require. Without these,
livpg-not the President Of the United States
would have any influence with them, could he get
Mitchell urderstands the habits of these wild tribes nt
matey and knows well how much to give and what to
withhold ard be makes his distributions 10 strict con-
formity with his knowledge Of their wants and character
Provisions are the great and mos. important item.
have yet to the first Indian, whether chief noto
hroya tIaft
eat The time not many years since when all these
Indians lived the buffalo an game Of the plains and
desired nothing but the ingress of the emigrans
and tie introduction Of the manners an customs pos-
bly, might say the vices and dissipation Of called c
many particulars Coffee sugar ana some few things Of
this kind are now sought for and desired than al
most any thing else The Colonel foreseeng these din
cultes made bis arrangements at the Suffers
and his wishes have been seconded By the proptrs Of
that establishment.
But find it difficult to avoid DEPRESSING vhsneverI 7
attempt TO write note book is full Of items that
scarcely know where to begin or where to stop 1
propose to go back and give brief narration of the n
cidents since departure from the Fort and the
actions at the Treaty ground.
Major Chiton's company Of dragons got off early At
Later hour the two companies Of mounted r,fes under
the command OF Captains Duncan and Rhett together
with our own party started and after short march, in
below Mr. Burdeaus trading house niue miles ths
fort Our whole military force is under the com
pand Of Brevet Maj Chiffon, and not Capt. Ke;chum
At the fort, Capt Ketchuu, commander OF the post
and senior in lneal rank commanded bat here this
detached service, Major Chiffon takes command The
Msjor kept up the prompt movements Of his outward
trip and all up and in the saddle the march,
by six o'clock on the orning of the 5th We hat a
sury and dusty days journey oft Besides the troop
hundred Indians in company. They were particularly
useful in kicking up the dust as they kept saopins
about us ell day. Our march to day by measurement
was twenty-s miles but our encampmeut is a few
miles below the point where the road crosses Horse
creek, we have probably travelled abtut twenty nine
miles.
During the trip to avoid the duet created by the ao
Mr. and myself struck of through the b1ttom of ths
Platte and fell in with large party OF Chayenns
moving their lodges down 10 the camping ground. W.
travelled with the train some miles and had favorabs
opportunity Of observing the manner in which these
things are done. In moving camp as in al druigery
everything in the way Of labor is performed By the
men and female children The men and boys do no.
thing They regard It asa disgrace to do any ki1t Of
work
The lodges are moved by means o. wha. are here called
prairie buggiesn These consist OF their lodge poss
end OF which fastened each side of the horses meek
and the other end dragging on the ground On these
Sometimes their dogs Some have kind Of rude wcke.
work which they asen TO the lodge poles forming
and s,n PA orI eoo bs 2.s,ss
drep. Each lldye OF the bead oft generally has
Der Of horses and mules. Those not hauling poles
packed May CT The lodges have dogs to which th.y
attach poles in the same manner to their horses sn
on thete pols hsve lighter articles The whole train
moves In single e the horses aud dogs of each lodge
following in succession This cavalcaie must hay.
reached several mes They pass with safety AMI apps
rent ease over the ground and along bill sis
Sometimes would ride bet dog and the horse o.
lodge that preceded hiu when did the dog would
set up most pteous howl, hch be continued until ".
got out Of the line Of succession.
On our way in came up Mr. Williams train fo-
Salt Lake about tweniy mine wagon laden principally
with merchandise ana the effects Of number Of men,
women and Children all e route for the Mormon city.
The train was halted and surrounded by lsas. dvs
hundred Indians, quietly looking on Whilst rsmAinsi
with the train a rabbit was started aud the Indians
Joined In the chase The su1denness OF the movement.
and ignorance Of the object, made the chill
dren ,osmp~r to their wagons In double quick time aai
lCdicrOur
We reached our camp ground about three P NJ tn.
Colonel pitched his tent on the pon, formed by the
junction of the creek and the Platte The military o.-
cupy higher part of the plain The Snake niisns
east Of us Major fitEpatricss tent Is further up tn,
creek with number % traders and their families Tas
Chayennes up the river, beyond the creek p,r.
ton Of the Sioux opposite TO ", the Platte AMI
another portion ars eDcampet below this side Ths
Arspshoes Appsches and other tribes scattered In
various directions
ON SATURDAY large band Of Sioux chsf. braves .ni
men nearly thousand in number well mounted cans
down the Platte They marched In solid column s5ou.
four abreast thoutiBg and singing AZ they passed
the bill into the plain they pr,sen;cd IMPOSING
and inter, sirg sight In the rode their princ-
pal chiefs, who carried an old American h,g which
they say vas given them By General Clark in the early
dsys Of his supefintenirnoy They marched camp
The chief and braves dsmountei, and formed cir
ele-Col NJ gave them so-ne tobacco and vermilion
and Informed them that he would expect thsm meet
him In council on Monday morning at the firing OF the
carton.
Later In the day, seversi hundred Chayennss also
mounted, rode ever the hill la manner slarar to ths
Sioux came into camp and were treated with the
presents
On Sunday, the Sioux and Cheyenne women erected,
In the centre of the encsmpment kind Of phithsa
tire out of their lodges and poles with arbor in the
centre for the eormisionsrs interpreter and Others.
IL vss curious sight 10 the dexterty and rapidy
~,h which the squav' pu, up these locges
Ibis nofnrg We hoistei the stars and stripes In front
OF the Colones tent In the absence timber to MAKE
hss staff lashed three long poles together aud act
them rp ike three legged stool Notwithstanding the
rsucity Of materials staff made nne appearsrcs
and the American hsg nCstsd gracefully TO the breeze
1his evening. in the Cbsyennes camp, for the hrst
time witnessed the Interesting process Of killing and
dressing dog for feast The victim vas a large cur
quite fat 1sO squavs lsssoed him. and hung him up
until be was drao. They then put bin Gre and
pgsd or rsther roasted OF the hair scrapnx the skin
until clean scslded hog They then drsss-
ed IT, snd cut IL W, and put into large copper kettle
where u boiled until the bones out Having
witnessed the procsss of preparation could indulge
in the luxury Of "a ing any of IT, During the evening
snd night there dog feasts In the camps OF the
Brules and Avalahlsh bands of the Sioux They kept
UP In their villages a dance. drumming music ami
LIZ ti,a -.