Expedition^ &?c. 193 



covered to be a personage of some eminence in their mystic 

 arts. 



Having supplied our guests with a pipe and some tobacco, 

 we resumed our occupations. Our attention was however 

 diverted to the young Kiawa warrior, who had the presump- 

 tion to seize the Kaskaia horse, which was purchased of the 

 Calf Indian, loose him from the stake around which he was 

 grazing, and having the further audacity to lead him near to 

 our tent, proceeded to make a noose in the halter, which he 

 placed over the mouth of the animal, that patiently submitted 

 to his operations. This sudden subjection of the horse 

 was a subject of more surprise to us, than the outrageous at- 

 tempt of the Indian, as he had hitherto resisted all our en- 

 deavors to accomplish the same object, whether conciliatory 

 or forcible. It seemed to corroborate the truth of the obser- 

 vation, that the horse readily distinguishes the native from the 

 white man, by his acute sense of smelling. The intention of 

 the Indian to take possession of the horse was now manifest, 

 and one of our party stepped forward and seized the halter 

 near the head of the animal; but the Indian who held 

 the other extremity of the halter, betrayed no symptoms 

 of fear, or of an intention to relinquish a possession 

 which he had thus partially gained. He looked sternly at 

 his antagonist, and asserted his right to the horse, inasmuch 

 as he had, he said, formerly owned him, and meant now to 

 repossess him. Supposing that this altercation might even- 

 tuate unpleasantly, the remainder of our party stood prepared 

 to repulse any attempt which the other Indians might make to 

 support the claim of their companion, whilst Bijeau advanced 

 with a manly decision and jerked the halter out of the handsof 

 the Indian, His companions sat enjoying themselves with their 

 pipe, and did not appear disposed to take any part in the 

 transaction. He fortunately made no further exertions to ob- 

 tain possession of the horse, but immediately mounted his 

 own horse, and rode off in high dudgeon, saying he would 



VOL. II. 25 



