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Show (;HA:·P. IU. Whimsical instance of superstition of the Sioux Indians-Council held "W ith tilt Sioux-Character of that tribe, their manners, &c.-A ridiculous instance of their het•oism-Anr.ient fortifioations-Quicm·re rh·et• described-Vast herd& of Butfaloe-Acoount of the Petit Chien o1· Little Dog-Nanow escape of George Shannon-l1escription ofWhiteriver-Surprising fleetness of the Ante· lope-Pass the river of the Sioux-Description of tae Grand Lc Tour, or Great Bend-Encamp on the Teton river. August 25. CAPTAINS LEwis and CLARKE, with ten men, went to see an object deemed very extraordinary among all the neighbouring Indians. They dropped down to the mouth of Whitestone river, about tl1irty yards wide, 'vhere they left the boat, and at the distance of two hundred yards, as· cended a rising ground, from which a plain extended itself as far as the eye could discern. After walking four miles, they crossed the creek where it is twenty-three yards wide, and waters an extensive valley. The heat was so oppressive that we were obliged to send back our dog to the ereek, as he was unable to bear the fatigue; aml it was not till after four hours march that we reached the object of our visit. This was a large mound in the midst or the plain about N. 20° W. from the mouth of Whitestone river, ft·om which it is nine miles distant. The base of the mound is a regular parallelogram, the longest side being about three hundred yards, the shorter sixty or seventy: from the longest side it rises with a steep ascent from the north and south to the height of sixty-five or seventy feet, leaving on the top a. level plain of twelve feet in breadth and ninety in length. ' 'I'he north and south extremities arc connected by two oval borders whicl1 serve as new bases, and divide the whole side into tb~ee steep but regular gradations from tbe plain. The only thmg ~haracteristic in this hill is its extreme symme· try, and tb1s, together with its being totally d8tached t'roro • Lewis and Clarke's Expedition, &e. 55 the other bills which are at the distance of eight or nine miles, would induce a belief that it was artificial; but, as the earth aml the loose pebbles which compose it, are arranged exactly like the steep grounds on the borders of the creek, we concluded from this similarity of textut·e that it might be natural. But the Indians have made it a great artie.Ie of their superstition: it is called the mountain of Little People, or Little Spirits, and they believe that it is tlte abode of little devils, in the human form, of about eighteen inches high and with remarkably large heads; they at·e armed with sharp arrows, with which they are very skilful, and arealways on the watch to kill those who should have the bardihood to approach their residence. The tradition is, that many have suffered from these little evil spirits, and among others, three Maha Indians fell a sacrifice to them a few years since. 'l'his has inspired all the neighbouring nations, Sioux, Mahas, and Ottoes~ with such terror, that no consideration could tempt them to visit the bill. We saw none of these wicked little spirits; nor any place for them~ except some small holes scattered over the top: we were happy enough to escape their vengeance, though we remained some time on the mound to enjoy the delightful prospect of the plain, which spreads itself out till the eye rests upon theN. W. hills at a great distance, and those of theN. E. still far~ ther off, enlivened by large herds of buffaloe feeding at .a odistanee. rl'he soil of these plains is exceedingly fine; there is, however, no timber except on the Missouri: all the wood of the Whitestone river not being sufficient to cover thickly one hundred acres. ''l'he plain country which sur~ rounds this mound has contributed not a little to its bad reputation: the wind driving from every direction over the level ground obliges the insects to seek shelter on its leeward side, or be driven against us by the wind. The small birds, whose food they are, resort of course in great numbers in quest of subsistence; and the Indians always ieem to discover an unusual assemblage of birds as produced b1 some supernatural |