Rocky Mountains. 181 



very intelligent Indian, with a solemn dignity of deportment, 

 and would not deign to enter our houses or even to approach 

 them until invited. He is said to have a more intimate know- 

 ledge of the manners of the whites, than any other Indian of 

 the Missouri, and to be acquainted with many of the words 

 of our language, but will not willingly make use of them, fear- 

 ing to express himself improperly, or not trusting to his pro- 

 nunciation. He remained near Council Bluff in the autumn 

 in order to be present at the councils with the different na- 

 tions, and to observe the conduct of the whites towards them 

 respectively, a considerable time after his nation had depart- 

 ed down the river to their beaver trapping. After this 

 he went with his family to the head waters of the Boyer, and 

 during his stay there trapped sixty beaver ; when with us, 

 he was about to go in search of his people. He had three 

 wives with him, one of whom appeared to be about nine or 

 ten years of age, and whom we mistook for his daughter, 

 until he undeceived us. We showed him our books of en- 

 gravings, with which he was highly pleased. The Indians 

 almost all of them, delight to look over engravings, particu- 

 larly those which represent animals; they are not soon fati- 

 gued when employed in this way. 



This Indian is known by several names, as Grand Batture, 

 Hard-heart, Sandbar, and in his own language, Wang-e-wa- 

 ha. During our late contest with Great Britain, he turned 

 his back upon his nation, in consequence of their raising the 

 tomahawk upon our citizens, and crossing the Missouri, uni- 

 ted his destiny with the Otoes, who received and treated 

 him with distinguished respect. Last autumn his nation 

 joined him, and submitted to his guidance ; so that the Ot- 

 oes, Missouries, and Ioways were then united. 



Some time since in a transaction with a captain, formerly 

 of the United States army, he thought himself grossly in- 

 sulted, and demanded on the spot personal satisfaction, agree- 

 ably to the custom of the whites, challenging his opponent to 



