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Show I () JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE " and there to sh w his young n1cn the re pect due to lc their ntw fizt!Jcr : T hat, when at St. Louis in the " ~pring, his father had told him, that if he loo~cd down " the river, he' would sec one of his young warnors com" ing up. He now found it true, and he was happy to see " me, who knew the Great Spirit was the father of all; " both the white and the red people ; and if one died, the " other could not live long. That he had never been at " war with their 11cw father, and hoped, always to pre" serve, the same good understanding that now existed. " That he now presented me with a pipe, to shew to the " upper bands, a token of our good understanding; and " that they might sec his work, and imitate his conduct. " That he had gone to St. Louis, on a shameful visit, to " carry a n1urdcrer ; but, that we had given the man his " lif~, anJ he thanked us for it. That he had provided " something to cat, but he supposed I could not cat it, " and if not, to gi vc it to my young men.'' I replied : " that, although I had told him at the prairie, n1y busi" ness up the Mississippi, I would again relate it to him. " I then mentioned the difrcrcnt objects I had in view ; " with regard to the savages, who had fallen under our " protection, by our late purchase fron1 the Spaniards. " The different posts to be established. The objects of " these posts as related to them; supplying them with " necessaries; having officers and agents of government " near them, to attend to their business ; and above aU, " to endeavor to make peace with between the Sioux and " Sautcurs. That it was possible on my return I should " bring some of the Sauteurs down with me, and take " with me some of the Sioux chiefs to St. Louis; there " to settle the long and bloody war, which had existed be· " tween the two nations. That I accepted his pipe with " pleasure, as the g1ft of a great man;)(< and a brother. 1< He i~ the chief of four hand• 'J 0 TilE SOURCES 0 F THE l\HSStSS IPPI. 11 " That it should be used as he desired." I then eat of the dinner he had provided. It v1~ vcr.y. grateful. It was wild rye and venison, of which l sent tour bowls to my_ n1en. I afterwards w ·nt to a dance, the pcrfor111ance of which, was attcnclc.d with many curious man ret.. vrcs. Men and won1cn danc~d lndiscrimi.ntlt, 'Ly. They were all dressed in the gayest manner; each had in their hand, a small skin of some description, and would frequently run up, point their skin, and give a pufr with their breath; when the person blown at, whether man or woman, would f:lli, and app 'ar to be almost lifeless, or in great agony ; bul would recover slowly, rise, and join in the dance. This they called their great meLlicinc ; or as I understood the worJ, Jancc of religion. The Indians believing, that they actually puft:,d something into each others bodies, which occa~ionecl the f:llling, &c. It is not every person who is admitted; persons wishing to join thct·n, n1ust first make valuable presents to the socict y, to the amount of 10 or 50 dollars, give a feast, and then arc admitted with great ceremony. Mr. 1! ra.zer informed me, that he was once in the lodge with some young n1en, who did not bcloncr to the club · when one of the dancers caine in, they b ' I imn1cdiately threw their blankets over him, and forced him out of the lodge: he laughed, and the young Indians called him a fool, and said " he did not know \vhat the dancer 1night blow into his body." I returned to 1ny boat; sent for the chief and presented him with two carrots of tobacco, four k nives, half a pound of vermillion, and one quart of salt. Mr. Frazer asked liberty to present them son1c rmn; we rnadc them up a keg between us, of 8 gallons. >Ill Mr. Frazer informed the chief, that he dare not give the1n any without my permission. The chief thankC'd me for all n1y presents, and said " they . ' ,,l t t I +'ll • Two gallon~ of whi ~'t " ', . , " . ) "' ._ $ • I ' '. >' " . t • ll . ' . ' . ' |