SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 369 



graceful, and theii- walk reminded one of the party of the 

 praise in the song of the modern Greek, as recorded by 

 Dodwell, " My love walks about like a goose." 



The village, to which they directed us, consisted of 

 thirty skin lodges, situated on a fine meadow on the bank of 

 the lake. Their permanent residence, or at least that which 

 Ihey have occupied as such for the last five years, is on a 

 rocky island, (Big Island,) in the lake, nearly opposite to, 

 and within a quarter of a mile of, their present encampment. 

 Upon the island they cultivate their cornfields, secure 

 against the aggressions of their enemies. They had been 

 lately engaged in hunting buffalo, apparently with much 

 success. The principal man led us to his lodge, where- 

 •in a number of the influential men were admitted, the 

 women being excluded ; but we observed that they, with 

 the children, went about the lodge, peeping through all 

 the crevices, and not unfrequently raising the skins to ob- 

 serve our motions. They soon brought in a couple of large 

 wooden dishes, filled with pounded buffalo meat boiled, 

 and covered with the marrow of the same animal ; of this 

 we partook with great delight; it was the first time that 

 several of the party had tasted the fresh buffalo meat ; and 

 it was the first meal made by any of us upon fresh meat, 

 since we had left Fort St. Anthony. During the entertain- 

 ment, Major Long made known to them the objects of the 

 expedition, at which they appeared very much gratified. 

 As we rose to depart, we were informed that another feast 

 was preparing for us in one of the adjoining tents, of which 

 we were invited to partake. We were too familiar with 

 Indian manners, not to know that the excuse of having 

 just eaten a very hearty meal, would not be considered as 

 sufficient among them ; and so we readily resigned our- 

 selves to the necessity of again testifying our friendly dispo- 

 VoL. T. 47 



