my lodge seen a greater day. As soon as I received the news of your coming, I had my big kettle filled to give you a feast in the midst of my warriors. Be welcome. I have had my three best dogs killed in your honor; they were very fat." Do not wonder when I tell you that this is their great feast, and that the flesh of the wild dog is very delicate and extremely good; it much resembles that of a young pig. The portion bestowed upon me was large; the two thighs and the paws, with five or six ribs; the law of the feast required me to eat it all, but it was too much for me. Finally I learned that one may get rid of his dish by passing it to another guest, with a present of tobacco.
I took the opportunity to speak to them of the principal points of religion; I explained to them the ten commandments of God and several articles of the creed. I made known to them the object of my journey to the mountains, asking whether they also did not desire to have Black-robes among them, to teach their children to know and serve the Great Spirit. The proposition seemed to please them greatly, and they answered that they would do what they could to render the stay of the Black-robes among them agreeable. I believe that a zealous missionary would meet with very good success among these savages. Their language is said to be very difficult; they are about 2,000 in number. The neighboring nations consider these Indians the most courageous warriors of the prairies.
Fort la Ramee [Laramie]14 is at the foot of the Black
is Fort Laramie dates from 1834. In that year William L. Sublette built a fort at the mouth of the Laramie river and called it Fort William. Soon after it fell into the hands of the American Fur Company and was christened Fort John for John B. Sarpy. In 1846 it seems to have been abandoned and another built in its stead a mile farther up stream, and to this the name Fort Laramie was given. About 1849 the post was sold to the United States and the famous military post of Fort Laramie began its career.