The yells heard outside the high wall of the fort at first filled me with alarm; but I soon became accustomed to them, and to all other occasional Indian excitements, that served to vary the monotony of garrison life.

Before I felt much interest in the Sioux, they seemed to have great regard for me.

My husband, before his marriage, had been stationed at Fort Snelling and at Prairie du Chien.

He was fond of hunting and roaming about the prairies; and left many friends among the Indians when he obeyed the order to return to an eastern station.

On going back to the Indian country, he met with a warm welcome from his old acquaintances, who were eager to shake hands with "Eastman's squaw." The old men laid their bony hands upon the heads of my little boys, admired their light hair, said their skins were very white; and, although I could not then understand their language, they told me many things, accompanied with earnest gesticulation.