An Indian Council. 



429 



and some other stuff; I ate a mouthful of it, and found 

 it quite palatable. Both lodges were alike dirty with wa« 

 ter and mud ; but I am told that in day times they are kept 

 more cleanly. A round shallow hole was in the centre, 

 and a chain hung from above near the fire, and on this 

 they hang their meat and cook. On leaving I gave our 

 guide a small piece of tobacco, and he seemed well pleas- 

 ed, but followed us on board the boat : and as he passed 

 my room, and saw my specimens of stuffed animals and 

 birds, manifested some curiosity to see them. 



" The general appearance of the fort is poor, and the 

 country around is overgrown with the weed called ' family 

 quarter.' And I saw nothmg here corresponding to the 

 poetical descriptions of writers who make their clay-banks 

 enchanted castles, and this wretched savage life a thing 

 to be desired, even by the most happy civilized men. 

 These Indians are mostly Ricarees ; they are tall, lank, 

 and redder than most others that I have seen, but they 

 are all miserable-looking and dirty. They occupy the 

 village where the powerful tribe of Mandans once lived, 

 but which were swept away by the dreadful scourge of the 

 small-pox; only twelve or fifteen families survive, and 

 they removed three miles up the river. 



" ^une 8. To-day we have had a famous Indian coun- 

 cil on board our boat. It consisted of thirty-four Indians 

 of the first class ; they squatted on their rumps on both 

 sides of our long cabin, and received refreshments of 

 coffee and ship-bread, and I assisted in doing this duty ; 

 and a box of tobacco was then opened and placed on the 

 table ; the captain then made a speech to them^ and one 

 Indian interpreted it to the others. They frequently ex- 

 pressed their approbation by grunting, and were evident- 

 ly much pleased. Two Indians came in, dressed in blue 

 uniforms, with epaulettes on their shoulders, and feathers 

 in their caps, and with ornamented mocassins and leg- 



