"During This Time A Principal Chief, Called Hohastillpilp,
Came From His Village, About Six Miles Distant, With A Party
Of Fifty Men, For The Purpose Of Visiting Us.
We invited him into
our circle, and he alighted and smoked with us, while his retinue,
with five elegant
Horses, continued mounted at a short distance.
While this was going on, the chief had a large leathern tent
spread for us, and desired that we would make it our home
so long as we remained at his village. We removed there,
and having made a fire, and cooked our supper of horseflesh
and roots, collected all the distinguished men present,
and spent the evening in making known who we were, what were
the objects of our journey, and in answering their inquiries.
To each of the chiefs Tunnachemootoolt and Hohastillpilp we
gave a small medal, explaining their use and importance as
honorary distinctions both among the whites and the red men.
Our men were well pleased at once more having made a hearty meal.
They had generally been in the habit of crowding into
the houses of the Indians, to purchase provisions on the best
terms they could; for the inhospitality of the country
was such, that often, in the extreme of hunger, they were
obliged to treat the natives with but little ceremony;
but this Twisted Hair had told us was very disagreeable.
Finding that these people are so kind and liberal, we ordered
our men to treat them with the greatest respect, and not to throng
round their fires, so that they now agree perfectly well together.
After the council the Indians felt no disposition to retire,
and our tent was filled with them all night."
As the expedition was here in a populous country, among many bands of Indians,
it was thought wise to have a powwow with the head men and explain to them
what were the intentions of the United States Government.
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