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Show f76 Lewis and Clm·lie's Expedition rain fot~ about half an hour. 'Ve availed ourselves of this in ~ terval to get all the boats in the water. At four o~clock P. M. it began to rain a second time, and continued till twelve at night. "rith the exception of a few drops at hvo or three different times, this is the first rain we have bad since the 15th of October last. ' Tuesday 2. rrhe wind wa.s high last night and this morning from N. W. and the weather continued cloudy. 'rhe l\landans killed yesterday twenty-one elk, about .fifteen miles below, but they were so poor as to be scarcely fit for usc. Wednesday 3. The weathet~ is I>leasant, though there 'vas a white frost and some ice on the edge of the water. 're were all engaged in packing up our baggage and met·chandize. Thursday 4. rrhe day is clear and pleasant, though the wind is high from N. W. 'Vc now packed up in different boxes a variety of articles for the president, which we shall send in the barge. They consisted of a stuffed male aml female antelo11e with their skeletons, a weasel, three squirrels from the Rocky mountains, the skeleton of the prairie wolf, those of the white and gray hare, a male and female blaireau, or burrowing dog of the prairie, with a skeleton of the female, two burrowing squirrels, a white weasel, and the skin of the louservia, the horns of the mountain ram, or big-horn, a pair of large elk horns, the horns and tail of the black-tailed deet·, and a variety of skins, such as those of the red fox, white hare, martin, yellow bear obtained f1·om the Sioux; also, a number of articles of Indian dress, among which was a buffaloe robe, representing a battle fought about eight years since between the Sioux and Ricaras against the Mandans and Minnetarecs, in which the combatants arc re1wcsented on horseback. It has of late years excited much discussion to ascertain the period when the art of painting was first discovered: how hopeless all researches of this kind are, is erident from the foregoing fact. It is Up the .JJiissoul'i. 17'7 indebted for its origin to one of the strongest passions of the human heart; a wish to preserve the features of a departed fr·iend, or the memot•y of some glorious exploit: this inherits equally the bosoms of all men either civilized or savage. Such sketches, rude and imperfect as they are, delineate the predominant character of the savage nations. If they are }leaceable and inoffensive, the drawings usually consist of Ioeal scenery, and their favourite diversions. If the band are rude and ferocious, we observe tomahawks, scalpingknives, bows, arrows, and all the engines of destruction. A ~Ian dan bow and quiver of at·rows; also some Uicara tobacco-seed and an ear of Mandan corn; to these were added a box of plants, another of insects, and three cases containing a burrowing squirrel, a prail'ie hen, and four magpies, all alive. Friday, 5th. ~-.air and pleasant, but the wind high from the not·thwest: we were visited by a number of Mandans, and are occupied in loading our boats in order to proceed on our journey. Saturday, 6th. Another fine day with a gentle breeze f1·om the south. The 1\'Iandans continue to come to the fort; and in the course of the day informed us of the arrival of a. party of Ricaras on the other side of tbe river. 'Ve sent our· interprt·tcr to inquire into theit• reason for comjng; and in the morning, Sunday, 7th, h<' retul'ncd with a Rira1·a chief and three of his nation. 'l'h'~ chief, "hose name is Kagohweto, or Brave Raven, brought a letter from ~It·. 'l'abeau, mentioning the whh or the grand chiefs of the Riearas to visit the JH'csident, and requesting pcl'mission for himself and fom• men to join our boat when jt descend ~; to which we consented, as it wHl then he manned with fifteen hands and be able to defend it.self against the Sioux. After presenting the lelter, be told us that he was sent with ten warriors by his nation to a rt•an:;e their settling nc~u· the Mandans and 1\finnetarees, whom they wished to join; tlmt he considered all the neighbouring nations friendly ex<·ept the Sioux. VOL . I . A a |