"On the morning of September 25th," says the journal,
"we raised a flagstaff and an awning, under which we assembled,
with all the party parading under arms. The chiefs and warriors,
from the camps two miles up the river, met us, about fifty
or sixty in number, and after smoking we delivered them a speech;
but as our Sioux interpreter, M. Durion, had been left with
the Yanktons, we were obliged to make use of a Frenchman who could
not speak fluently, and therefore we curtailed our harangue.
After this we went through the ceremony of acknowledging
the chiefs, by giving to the grand chief a medal, a flag of
the United States, a laced uniform coat, a cocked hat and feather;
to the two other chiefs, a medal and some small presents;
and to two warriors of consideration, certificates.
The name of the great chief is Untongasabaw, or Black Buffalo;
the second, Tortohonga, or the Partisan; the third, Tartongawaka,
or Buffalo Medicine; the name of one of the warriors was Wawzinggo;
that of the second, Matocoquepa, or Second Bear. We then invited
the chiefs on board, and showed them the boat, the air-gun, and such
curiosities as we thought might amuse them. In this we succeeded
too well; for, after giving them a quarter of a glass of whiskey,
which they seemed to like very much, and sucked the bottle,
it was with much difficulty that we could get rid of them.
They at last accompanied Captain Clark on shore, in a pirogue
with five men; but it seems they had formed a design to stop us;
for no sooner had the party landed than three of the Indians
seized the cable of the pirogue, and one of the soldiers
of the chief put his arms round the mast.
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