186 Expedition to the 



these wandering hordes. The chief seemed to take a pleasure 

 in pronouncing to us words of the Kiawa language, and smiled 

 at our awkward attempts to imitate them, whilst we were 

 engaged in committing them to paper. This vocabulary, as 

 well as that of the Kaskaia language, which we had previous- 

 ly obtained from the Calf, had been for some time the ob- 

 jects of our wishes, as Bijeau persuaded us, that they were 

 more difficult to acquire than any other language, and that, 

 although formerly he resided three years with those nations, 

 he never could understand the meaning of a single word, not 

 even jtheir expressions for Frenchman or tobacco. Nor does 

 this observation, though, perhaps unintentionally exaggerat- 

 ing the ideas of the abstruse nature of the language, appear 

 absolutely destitute of foundation, since these nations, al-^ 

 though constantly associating together, and united under the 

 influence of the Bear-tooth, are yet totally ignorant of each 

 others language, insomuch that it was no uncommon occur- 

 rence, to see two individuals of different nations, sitting upon 

 the ground, and conversing freely with each other, by means 

 of the language of signs. In the art of thus conveying their 

 ideas, they were thorough adepts, and their manual display 

 was only interrupted at remote intervals by a smile, or by 

 the auxiliary of an articulated word of the language of the 

 Crow Indians, which to a very limited extent, passes current 

 amongst them. 



These languages abound with sounds strange to our ears, 

 and in the noisy loquacity of some squaws, who held an ani- 

 mated debate near our tent yesterday, we distinguished pre- 

 eminently, soiuids which may be expressed by the letters 

 koo, koo, koo. 



The Shiennes or Shawhays, who have united their destiny 

 with these wanderers, are a band of seceders from their own 

 nation, and some time since on the occurrence of a serious dis- 

 pute with their kindred on Shienne river of the Missouri, flew 

 their country, and placed themselves under the protection of 

 the Bear-tooth. 



