206 NOTES TAKEN. 
by the government of such articles as are supplied by the 
traders, with the understanding that this should continue so 
long as no forays were made, and thereby depreciating the 
value of these articles, would render the trading business no 
longer profitable. 
The tribes are accustomed to exchange presents in their 
friendly intercourse with each other, and have no idea of 
friendship under any other form; they also value the strength 
of attachment by the amount of presents received, as an inci- 
dent related by Captain Marcy will illustrate. 
He once held a talk with a chief of one of the tribes, and 
told him that the President of the United States was their 
friend, and wished to live on terms of peace with them. The 
chief replied, that he was much astonished to hear this, for 
judging by the few trifling presents the Captain had given 
his people, he was of opinion that the “Big Captain” held 
them in but little estimation. 
There is no doubt but that a small amount of money, annu- 
ally expended in this way, would go far towards doing away 
entirely with the many and frequently bloody depredations of 
these people upon our poorly protected frontier. 
August 24th.—The Indians continued to leave in parties of 
two or three, during the day, until all were gone except Ke- 
tum-e-see and the invalid, who seemed to be great friends, 
Neither had any thing to say, but lounged around under 
the trees, evidently with some object in view, which greatly 
excited our curiosity, but the weather was so intensely hot, 
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