WASHINGTON IRVING's ASTORIA. 551 



the Nodowa (or Nauclaway), where they fixed their winter quarters 

 in the midst of a good hunting country. The party was here increased 

 by the addition of M'Lellan, a trader of the Missouri, John Day, a 

 Virginian backwood hunter, and a reinforcement of interpreters, 

 guides, and naturalists, brought up by Mr. Hunt from St. Louis early 

 in the spring. The Sioux interpreter Pierre Dorion is quite an ori- 

 ginal of his kind, and as he plays a conspicuous part in these volumes, 

 we may be excused for presenting to our readers Mr. Irving's por- 

 trait of him. 



" The individual in question was a half-bred and a striking specimen of the 

 hybrid race on the frontier. He was the son of Dorion, the interpreter who 

 accompanied Lewis and Clarke in their famous expedition across the Rocky 

 Mountains. Old Dorion was one of those French Creoles descendants of the 

 ancient Canadian stock who abound on the western frontier and amalgamate 

 or cohabit with the savages. He had sojourned among various tribes, and per- 

 haps left progeny among them all ; but his regular wife was a Sioux squaw. 

 By her he had a hopeful brood of hybrid sons, of whom Pierre was one. The 

 domestic affairs of old Dorion were conducted on the true Indian plan. Fa- 

 ther and sons would occasionally get drunk together, and then the cabin was 

 a scene of ruffianly broil and fighting, in the course of which the old French- 

 man was apt to get soundly belaboured by his mongrel offspring. In a fero- 

 cious scuffle of this kind one of the sons got the old man on the ground and 

 was on the point of scalping him. ' Hold, my son,' cried the old fellow, in 

 imploring accents, 'you are too brave, too honourable to scalp your father.' 

 This last appeal touched the French side of the half-bred's heart, so he suf- 

 fered the old man to wear his scalp unharmed. Of this hopeful stock was 

 Pierre Dorion, the man whom it was Mr. Hunt's wish to engage as an in- 

 terpreter. He had been employed in that capacity by the Missouri Fur Com- 

 pany the preceding year, and had conducted their trading in safety through 

 the different tribes of Sioux. He had proved himself faithful and serviceable 

 while sober, but the love of liquor, in which he had been nurtured, would oc- 

 casionally break out, and with it the savage side of his character. It was this 

 love of liquor which had embroiled him with the Missouri Company. "Vol. i. 

 p. 234. 



Late in April 1811 Mr. Hunt's party, which had now swelled to 

 sixty persons, of whom five were partners, one a clerk named Reed, 

 forty Canadian voyageurs, and the rest hunters, resumed their voyage 

 up the river, and on the 28th passed the mouth of the Platte. On 

 the 10th of May they encamped at the Omaha village, more than 800 

 miles above the mouth of the Missouri, where they stayed five days. 

 Contenting ourselves with the mere mention of the interesting anec- 

 dotes given of this tribe, we must accompany the adventurers on their 

 course, which henceforward was not without peril from the Sioux 

 Tetons the pirates of the Missouri. On the 31st of May, the day 

 before passing the great bend of the river, Mr. Hunt and his party 

 were surprised by a large war-party troop of 600 Sioux warriors who 

 gave unequivocal signs of hostility, which was only disarmed by the 

 firm and prudent conduct of the leading trader. The Sioux in the 

 end, on condition that the traders will not aid the Mandans their 

 enemies, allow them to pass unmolested. After a few annoyances 

 partly from the natives, partly from some intractables of the trading 

 crew, partly from Mr. Lisa, the agent of the Missouri Company, Mr. 

 Hunt's canoes reach a part of the river near which is a village of 



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