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Show Le·wis and Clarlic's .E..tpeilitiu.n gone to consult their medicine stone as to tlte prospects of the foJiowing year. This medicine stone is the great oracle ofthe Mandans, and whatever it announces is believed with implicit confidence. Every spring, and on some occasion9 during the summe1·, a deputation visits the sacred S}lot, where there is a thick porous stone twenty feet in circum. ference, with a smooth surface. Having reached the place the ceremony of smoking to it is performed by the deputies, \vho alternately take a whiffthemsches ami then present the pipe to the stone; after this they retire to an adjoining wood for the night, during which it may be safely presumed that all the embassy do not sleep; and in the morning they read the destinies of the nation in the white marks on the stone, which those 'vho made them arc at no Joss to dccyphcr. The Minnetarees have a stone of a similar kind, which has the same qualities and the same influence over the nation. Captain Lewis returned from his excursion in pursuit of the Indians. On reaching the place where the Sioux bad stolen our horses, they found only one sled, and several pair of moccasins which were recognised to be those of the Sioux. The pa1•ty then followed the Indian tracks till they reached two old lodges where they slept, and the next morning pursued the course of the rivet• t.ill they reached some Indian camps, where captain Clarlie passed the night some time ago, and which the Sioux had now set on fire, leaving a lit· tie corn neat· the place in order to induce a belief that they were Ricaras. From this point the Sioux tracks left the river abruptly and crossed into the plains; but perceiving that there was no chance of overtaking them, captain Lewis \Vent down to the pen where ca1,tain Clarke had left some meat, which he found untouched by the Indians, and then hunted in the low grounds on the river, till he returned with about three thousand pounds of meat, some drawn in a sled by fifteen of the men, and the rest on horseback· having .killed thirty-six deer, fourteen elk, and one wolf. ' I Up the Missouri. Friday, 22d. The morning was cloudy and a little snow fell, but in the afternoon the weather became fair. We were visited by a number of Jfndians, among whom was Shotawborora, a chief of much consideration among the Man~ dans, although by birth a Ricara. Saturday, 23d. The day is warm ancl pleasant. Having worked industriously yesterday and all this morning we were enabled to disengage one of the periogues and haul it on shore, and also nearly to cut out the second. The father of the boy whose foot had been so badly frozen, and whom we had now cured, came to-day and carried him home in a sleigh. Sunday, 24th. The weather is again fine. We succeeded in loosening the second periogue and barge, though we found a leak in the latter. 1'he whole of the next day, Monday,- 25th, we were occupied in dt·awing up the boats on the bank: the smallest one we carried there with no difficulty, but the barge was too heavy for our elk-skin t•opes which constantly broke. We were visited by Orup· sehara, or Black Moccasin, and several other chiefs, who brought us presents of meat on the backs of their squaws, and one of the Minnetarees requested and obtained 1,er~ mission for himself and his two wives to remain all night in the fort. The day was exceedingly pleasant. Tuesday 26. The weather is again fine. By great labour during the day we got all the boats on the bank by sun~ set, an operation which attracted a great number of Indians to the fort. Wednesday 27. The weather continues fine. All or us employed in preparing tools to build boats for our voyage, as we find that small periogues will be much more convenient than the barge in ascending the Missout·i. Thursday 28. The day is cleat• and pleasant. Sixteen men were sent out to examine the count1·y for trees suitable for boats, and were successful in finding them. 'l'wo of tl1e N. W. company tra<lers an-ired with letters; they J1ad like- |