198 Expedition to the 



ing the night to rest themselves in comfort and safety. They 

 immediately sat down, and, the food being portioned out by 

 one of the warriors, they proceeded to eat with the appear- 

 ance of such appetites as convinced us that their fast had 

 been of long duration. In conversation during the evening 

 the partizan said that they had followed a considerable trail, 

 supposing that the Sauks had taken that direction ; that they 

 observed stakes stuck in the ground at certain distances, and 

 the trees blazed as far as they went upon that trail. He in- 

 quired if we knew the reason of such marks ; he was then 

 informed that it was to indicate the course of a road which 

 was to be made in that direction, and that if he had travelled 

 far enough upon the trail he would have met with towns of 

 white people, who would have treated him well. After mus- 

 ing sometime, he observed, that they had travelled a good 

 distance on that rout, and having occasion to deviate a short 

 distance from it, they found when they returned that a white 

 man and three horses had passed along during their absence ; 

 (this was Lieutenant Fields, the express,) they immediately 

 dispatched two of their young men back to follow him, and 

 to learn if he had met the fugitive Sauks ; but they could not 

 overtake him. " We continued on," said Naugh-km-ne (or 

 the Left hand^) " with all speed ; but at length, being almost 

 famished, we were necessitated to halt and hunt ; of course 

 we gave over the pursuit. Not wishing to return to qur 

 nation without obtaining some trophy, we resolved to go to 

 Nishnebottona in order to strike upon the Ioways, who, we 

 had been informed, were at that place ; but when we arrived 

 there, we had the mortification to learn that they were gone ; 

 we must, therefore, return without these poor young men 

 having any opportunity to distinguish themselves." " Did 

 you not," we asked, " make peace with the Ioways last sea- 

 son?" " Yes, it is true we made a kind of peace with them, 

 but you know they are bad men ; we do not like them ; the 

 whites do not like them ; perhaps it was a party of that nation, 



