222 Expedition to the 



The skins of the elk, deer, and antelopes are dressed in 

 the same manner, but those that are intended to form the 

 covering of their travelling lodges, for leggings, and summer 

 mockasins, &c. have the adze applied to the hairy side in 

 dressing, instead of the flesh side. 



Great numbers of these robes, are annually purchased by 

 the traders, and Mr. Lisa assured us, that he once transport- 

 ed fifteen thousand of them to St. Louis in one year. 



The Indian form of government is not sufficiently power- 

 ful, to restrain the young warriors from the commission of 

 many excesses and outrages, which continually involve the 

 nations in protracted wars; and, however well disposed the 

 chiefs ma}- be, and desirous to maintain the most amicable 

 deportment towards the white people, they have not the 

 power to enable them to compel those restless spirits, greedy 

 of martial distinction, to an observance of that pacific de- 

 meanour, which their precepts inculcate. 



To accomplish this object, much depends upon the course 

 pursued by the agents of the United States. If the charac- 

 ter of these is dignified, energetic and fearless, they will 

 certainly meet that respect from the natives, which is due 

 to the importance of their missions. But, on the contrary, 

 if their conduct is deficient in promptness, energy and de- 

 cision; if their measures are paralyzed by personal fear of 

 the desperadoes, whom they must necessarily encounter in 

 the execution of their duties, their counsels will fall un- 

 heeded in the assemblies which they address.* 



* In corroboration of these remarks, we add the following account of 

 an interview which Major OFallon had with Indians of the Mississippi,! 

 whose agent has been hitherto unable to restrain them from carrying on 

 warlike operations, against the Missouri Indians. 



In St Louis on the 3d April 1821, B. OFallon, agent for Indian affairs on 

 Missouri, met a deputation from the Saukee nation of Indians, on the sub- 

 ject of a most destructive war, carried on by them against the Otoes, Mis- 

 souries, and Omawhaws of his agency, and spoke to them as follows: 



Saukees — 



I am glad you have arrived, before my departure for the (JouncU 

 Bluff, as it affords me an opportunity to address you, on a subject that has 



f Of the Sauk nation, they call themselves Sauke-waw-ke. 



