speech, with the usual advice and counsel for
their future conduct. We acknowledged their chiefs, by giving to the
grand chief a flag, a medal, a certificate, and a string of wampum; to
which we added a chief's coat--that is, a richly laced uniform of the
United States Artillery corps, with a cocked hat and red feather. One
second chief and three inferior ones were made or recognized by medals,
a suitable present of tobacco, and articles of clothing. We smoked the
pipe of peace, and the chiefs retired to a bower formed of bushes by
their young men, where they divided among one another the presents,
smoked, eat, and held a council on the answer which they were to make
us to-morrow. The young people exercised their bows and arrows in
shooting at marks for beads, which we distributed to their best
marksmen. In the evening the whole party danced until a late hour, and,
in the course of their amusement, we threw among them some knives,
tobacco, bells, tape, and binding, with which they were much
pleased....

"August 31st. In the morning, after breakfast, the chiefs met and sat
down in a row, with pipes of peace highly ornamented; all pointed
toward the seats intended for Captains Lewis and Clark. When they
arrived and were seated, the grand chief, whose Indian name Weucha is
in English Shake Hand, and in French is called Le Liberateur (The
Deliverer), rose and spoke at some length, approving what we had said,
and promising to follow our advice. 'I see before me,' said he, 'my
Great Father's two sons. You see me and the rest of our chiefs and
warriors. We are very poor; we have neither powder, nor ball, nor
knives; and our women and children at the village have no clothes. I
wish that as my brothers have given me a flag and a medal, they would
give something to those poor people, or let them stop and trade with
the first boat which comes up the river. I will bring chiefs of the
Pawnees and Mahas together, and make peace between them; but it is
better that I should do it than my Great Father's sons, for they will
listen to me more readily. I will also take some chiefs to your country
in the Spring; but before that time I cannot leave home. I went
formerly to the English, and they gave me a medal and some clothes;
when I went to the Spanish, they gave me a medal, but nothing to keep
it from my skin; but now you give me a medal and clothes. But still we
are poor; and I wish, brothers, that you would give us something for
our s