SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 253 



hearts." But they were informed that the expedition was 

 totally unprovided with this article, as it was their Great 

 Father's wish, that the Indians should not receive, from 

 white men, liquor, the effect of which was to drive away 

 their senses, make them quarrelsome and sick. Sha- 

 kea assented to the truth of this, and acknowledged that 

 the use of liquor was very injurious to them, but seemed, 

 however, to regret that he could not make himself merry 

 on the occasion of the glad tidings which he had received 

 from his Great Father. Both he and his son made speeches 

 which were not remarkable for the beauty or originality 

 of the ideas ; these may, however, have lost their force 

 through our interpreter's inelegant and unanimated trans- 

 lation. But the gestures, which accompanied the words of 

 the orator, were more remarkable for force, than for grace 

 or significance. A young Indian who acted as pipe-bearer 

 to the chief, (an office of dignity,) then lighted the pipe, 

 passed it round to all, commencing with Major Long, pro- 

 ceeding with our party, and concluding with the warriors 

 and interpreter. The pipe-bearer supported the bowl, 

 while each person present drew two or three whiffs. He 

 then smoked of it himself, and, drawing out the stem, 

 presented it to Major Long in token of respect. The bowl, 

 which he kept, was of the red stone found on the St 

 Peter ; the stem was of wood, and made in the usual man- 

 ner of the Dacota pipe. Its length is about three feet, it is 

 flattened, being about two inches wide, and three-eighths 

 of an inch thick. It tapers a little towards the upper ex- 

 tremity ; a hole is perforated through it, with a hot iron ; 

 the pipe stem is painted with a blue clay, which, by long ex- 

 posure to the air assumes a green colour ; the upper extremity, 

 to about one-third of its length, is ornamented with por- 

 cupine quills variously dyed, so as to present beautiful de- 



