438 Expedition to the 



game. In short, said the Grand chief, " you must have long 

 hearts, to undertake such a journey with so weak a force; 

 hearts that would reach from the earth to the heavens." 

 These representations would, it is probable, have had some 

 effect upon our spirits, had we not supposed, they were 

 made entirely for that purpose. The Pawnees undoubtedly 

 hoped to alarm our fears to such a degree, ihat we should 

 be induced to relinquish our proposed journey; their de- 

 sign being to deter us from passing through their hunting 

 grounds, and perhaps hoping by these means to possess 

 themselves of a larger share of the articles, we had provided 

 for Indian presents. 



Finding our determination was not to be shaken, they ad- 

 vised us to ascend the Loup Fork, instead of taking the 

 route by the Platte, which we had mentioned. This advice, 

 and the statement by which it was accompanied, that there 

 were no bisons on the Platte, we suspected of originating from 

 the same motive, which had induced them to make the repre- 

 sentation above mentioned; it was not, therefore, allowed in 

 any manner to influence our determination. 



After collecting from them what .information we could 

 obtain, relative to the country to the west, we endeavoured 

 to dismiss them with some presents. They were not, how- 

 ever, easily to be satisfied — they importuned us for tobacco, 

 and other articles, which the limited nature of our supplies 

 would not allow us to give, as we expected soon to meet 

 with Indians, whose good will it would be more important 

 for us to purchase. 



Our camp was something more than a mile from the vil- 

 lage. The intervening space, as well as the plain for a great 

 extent on all sides, was covered with great numbers of horses, 

 intermixed with men, women, and children. The men hav- 

 ing no serious business, pass much of their time in the open 

 air, either on horseback, or engaged at some game of hazard. 



The Pawnees are expert horsemen, and delight in the ex- 



