o70 KXPLDITION '10 TH£ 



sition, by doing honour to their meal. In order to save time, 

 we had it brought into the same lodge. It consisted of a 

 white root, somewhat similar in appearance to a small tur- 

 nip; it is called, by the Dacotas, t^psin, by the French, the 

 " Pomme blanche or Navet de Prairie."* It was boiled 

 down into a sort of mush or hominy, and was very much 

 relished by most of the party ; had it been seasoned with 

 salt or sugar, it would have been considered delicious. 

 This was held, even by the guides, to be a great treat. As 

 we were rising from this second meal, we were informed 

 that a third one was preparing for us ; we begged to de- 

 cline it, having a considerable distance to travel that after- 

 noon ; but we were informed that this would be a great 

 disappointment to him who had prepared the feast, as in 

 order to outdo all others he had killed a dog, which is con- 

 sidered not only as the greatest delicacy, but also as a sa- 

 cred animal, of which they eat only on great occasions. 

 In order to meet his wishes we deferred our journey for an 

 hour, but the repast not being then prepared, we were com- 

 pelled to leave the village, to the great and manifest mor- 

 iication of our third host, and to the no small disappoint- 

 ment of most of our party, who were desirous of tasting 

 of the sacred animal. In order to make a return for the 

 civilities which we had received at the hands of the In- 

 dians, we informed them that if they would despatch a 

 messenger with us, we should send them, from a neigh- 

 bouring trader's house, some tobacco, all ours having been 

 lost on the river. They gladly accepted the proposal, and 

 sent two lads with us for it. In the afternoon, we reached 

 a .house belonging to the American Fur Company. It is 

 situated about half way up the lake. Mr. Moore, the super- 



• Psoralea Esculenta, Nuttall. 



