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Show 8·.1. JOCH\' .\L OF ,\ YOY.\CC in truth they were; the man being about ,r; ~ ·et 11 ii:chc:;: an J po S,s c,s sinn.,· in an emii)ent .m ann.e r all t h.r lwaut tl'S· of countenance which di~tinguish hts natwn. l IJ~ com~Janton . s 9') yea1·s old · havinrr dark brown eye~, 1et hzur, and ,V,l .... ""' ' ' n an elegantly proportioned neck, and her ftgurc by no Jncans inclining to corpulency, as they ge1:erall~ arc after 111arriage. lie appeared to attach hims H parttcu larly to 111c, and informed 1ne his wife was th_e daughter of an American, who passing through the natwn, abont twenty three years before, remained a wee~ or tw.o, possessed ofh~r 1nothcr, and that she was the fruit of tins amour; b.ut l~Is name they were unacquainted with. I hacl brought SIX l11Scuits \vith me, which I presented her on the score of her be· ing my countrywoman, which raised a louclla.ugh, and shr was called the Bostonian during the rest of my stay. I found them generally extremcl y hard to deal with ; my provision being only a little venison, l wished to pro~urr some bear's oil, for a few gallons of which I was oblrg:d to pay a dollar per gallon, anu then they wanted to mix tallow with the oil. They also de1nandcd ten dollars for a bear skin (the most beautiful I ever saw, which I wanted to mount a saddle.) Indeed I was infonned that traders in this country, sometimes give as n1uch as sixteen dollars for bear skins ; for they are eminently superior to a~y thing of the kind, on the lower Mississippi ; and sell m Europe for double the price. In the evening .. Ne were entertained with the calumet and dog dance ; also the dance of the . Some of the men struck the post and told some of their war exploits, but as they spoke in Menomcnc, my interpreter could not explain it. After the dance, we had the feast of the dead, (as it i~ called) at which each two or three were served with a pan or vessel full of meat, and when all were ready there was a prayer, after which the eating commenced. '¥hen it was expected we would eat up our portion entire} y, being careful not to drop a bone, ., TO TILE SOURCES OF TllE MISSISS IPP f. 8;, but to gather all up and put them in the dish, we wrr then treated with soup. After the rating WJs fini:-~lwd the chief again gave an exhortation~ whi ·h f. ,;sh d tht..' ceremony. I am told they then gather up all the fragments, and throw them in th water, lest th C' dogs ~ho uld get them. Durning them is considered as sacri1crr,...o us. In ,..., this lodge were collected at on · time ·1· I persons great and :~nail, ( 17 of whom were capable or hearing arms) b.·Sides dogs without number. 24·tb March, MonrltTy.-Rose early and with my dogsled arrived at the fort before 10 o'clock. In the afr0r~ noon Mr. Grant arrived wi th J)(' Brcchc and ~omc of his young men.. Saluted him with J 1 round~,; found my two young war~·tors of Leech Lake were brave rnoup;h to return to their homes. Mr. Grant and myself ~at up bt<"' talking. 1 25th March, T ucsday.--:-Sent an Indian to Thomas's odge, and a letter to Mr. 1)1ckson. It snowed and fltormcd all day. Gave the chief the news. . 26th Marc/;, T1'edne.rday.-Thomas, the Fols Avoin chief arrived with seven of his men, and the old Shawonoe and six of his party. I had them all to feed as well as my ~wn men. At night I gave them leave to dance in the ga:nson, which they did until 10 o'clock; but once or twice told me, that if I was tired of then1 the dance should cca Th ' se. e old Shawonoe and the White Dog of the Fols Avoins told their exploits, which we could not un~ ~erst~nd; but De Breche arose and said, " I once killed a Szoux and n· h' h · ,, cut ou IS cad With such a spear as I now . present to this Wincbago." At the same time prescnt-mg one to a Winebago present, with whom the Chipe-ways Were at h · · war ; t Is was considered by the fonner as a great honor M h . . · Y unters went out but killed nothmg. 2 way ch~1tehf mMaadr ch, Tburhs day.-In t11c n1orning the Chipe-c e a specc and presrnterl hi~ peace pipe to |
