flat smoothed piece of deer skin, used perhaps as a scaper & a unio shell. The ground near the skeleton comparatively soft & yielding. From this was at first tempted to conclude that the interment found had been made long subsequent to the construction of the mound. It may however very well be that the ground has been kept from contact with the bodies at first by the woodwork & has subsequently tumbled in & loosely filled the space. This seems rendered more probable by the fact the ground is not only hard below and at a little distance around the skeletons, but above them.

Mail arrived today with some scouts coming out.

Water of Souris R. about noon 62

Camp 8 A.M. Bar 28.17 Ther 60

12.30 PM

28.19

62

8.30 P.M.

28.34

54

Day fine. Strong & rather cool wind from west.

Had a visit from some Sioux indians, including one said to be chief over 100 lodges.

June 5. Bridge building going on actively. Spent day reading & writing letters home to go in with some returning ox wagons tomorrow. Rowe by aid of interpreter asking some Sioux who came into camp about the old mounds. It seems that they belong to the Sioux themselves & that they still bury there. Pointed out mounds as being graves of so & so. A strange departure from the habits usually ascribed to the plains indians. They said that in mound we had opened a woman & child buried. This was correct but seemed also as stated yesterday the remains of a third skeleton. Possibly an older interment.

Camp

8 A.M.

Bar 28.39

Ther 58

12.45 PM

28.23

75

9 P.M.

28.32

53