he Osage villages, our Osage guides,
in their dread of the Kans, had led our party far around to the south of
the direct course.

At once Frank was sent out with two or three other runners on the right
track, and by forenoon of the next day one of the scouts came back with
word that the others were bringing in the Americans. Immediately the
chiefs rode out with all the warriors, to receive the visitors in state.
The ceremonies opened with a mock charge, during which the balls from
the old fusils and trade guns of the savages flew about far too
promiscuously for comfort. There followed a horse-smoke, in which some
of the Pawnees presented ponies to the few Osages with the party.

After this White Wolf shook hands with Pike, and invited him and myself
to dine at his lodge. We did so, while Wilkinson marched the party on
across the river to a strong position on a hill.

This welcome to the village could not have been more ceremonious and
friendly. But a few days later, when we met the chiefs and warriors in
grand council, the situation took on a much less favorable aspect.
Lieutenant Pike effected a burial of the hatchet between the Osages and
three or four Kans warriors who had come down from their village on the
Kansas River. He then distributed honorary presents and a quantity of
goods to the Pawnee chiefs, explaining that President Jefferson was now
their great father, instead of the Spanish Governor-General Salcedo, and
that he had been sent with these gifts to show the good-will of their
new father.

The Pawnees accepted the presents readily enough, but I doubt if they
either understood or cared about the transfer of Louisiana Territory. To
them the prairies,--north, south, east, and west,--were their own land
so far as their guns and bows could hold back the other prairie tribes.
Judging from what little they knew of the two rival nations of white
men, they had better reasons to turn to the Spaniards than to us, for
the Mexican expedition had come among them with a force fifteen times
greater than our little band.

Yet in the face of this disadvantage, Pike was determined to press home
his point to the great ring of chiefs and headmen which encircled us and
to the crowds of younger warriors without. Owing to the great number who
had wished to share in the council or to witness the proceedings, we had
met in the open space before the entrance of the council-lodge.
Standing thus in the midst of the hundreds of re