Having  arrived  alongside  the  frigate,  the
visiting  party  were  received  by  the  admiral  and
his  officers,  and  were  shown  to  the  admiral's
cabin,  where  all  were  hospitably  entertained.
Mr.  Gfuern  was  kept  busy  translating  conversa
tions  from  English  into  French  and  French  into


AMONC   THE   STOUX   OF   DAKOTA.  199

Sioux,  according-  to  the  wants  of  the  company.
After  cake  and  wine,  the  admiral  and  his  offi
cers  conducted  the  visitors  over  the  ship.  Her
heavy  broadside  guns  were  loaded  with  blank
cartridges,  and  the  Indians  were  invited  to  dis
charge  them  The  small  arms  were  exhibited,
including  cutlasses,  boarding  pikes,  revolvers
and  rifles.  The  latter  were  of  the  Chassepot
pattern,  in  use  by  the  French  nation,  the  breech-
loading  arrangements  of  which  are  quite  differ
ent  from  those  of  the  various  arms  in  use  in  this
country.  The  mechanism  of  this  gun  was  ex
plained  to  the  Indians,  and  it  was  loaded  and
discharged  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  show  its
effectiveness  in  this  respect.  But  they  were
each  possessed  of  a  Winchester  Magazine  rifle,
which  could  be  loaded  and  discharged  even
more  rapidly,  and  was  a  better-looking  and
better  finished  arm,  so  they  were  not  impressed
by  the  Chassepot.  If  the  Indian  is  too  un
tutored  to  understand  the  real  merit  of  white
men's  industry  in  building  cities  and  beautify
ing  the  landscape,  he  is  thoroughly  alive  when
he  comes  in  contact  with  their  implements  of
warfare,  and  on  every  occasion  minutely  in
spects  their  mechanism,  and  is  quick  to  perceive
any  advantages  they  may  possess.  The  Sioux
warrior  is  as  well  armed  as  any  in  the  world,  as
dexterous  in  the  use  of  his  weapons,  and  as  so
licitous  in  the  care  of  them,  which  was,  per-


200  AMONG  THE   SIOUX   OF  DAKOTA.
