ons
for his journey to the Mandans. He left some of his men at the fort
and selected twenty to accompany him on his expedition. To each of
these followers he gave a supply of powder and bullets, an ax, a
kettle, and other things needful by the way. In later years horses
were abundant on the western prairie, but at that time neither the
French nor the Indians had horses, and everything needed for the
journey was carried on men's backs.

Three days after leaving Fort La Reine, La Verendrye met a party of
Assiniboines travelling over the prairie. He gave them some small
presents, and told them that he had built in their country a fort where
they could get all kinds of useful articles in {51} exchange for their
furs and provisions. They seemed delighted at having white men so
near, and promised to keep the fort supplied with everything that the
traders required.

A day or two afterwards several other Indians appeared, from an
Assiniboine village. They bore hospitable messages from the chiefs,
who begged the white travellers to come to visit them. This it was
difficult to do. The village was some miles distant from the road on
which they were travelling and already they had lost much time because
their guide was either too lazy or too stupid to take them by the most
direct way to the Mandan villages on the banks of the Missouri. Still,
La Verendrye did not think it wise to disappoint the Assiniboines, or
to offend them, since he might have to depend upon their support in
making his plans for further discoveries. Accordingly, although it was
now nearly the middle of November, the very best time of the year for
travelling across the plains, he made up his mind to go to the
Assiniboine village.

As the party drew near the village, a number of young warriors came to
meet them, and to tell them that the Assiniboines were greatly pleased
to have them as guests. It is {52} possible that the Assiniboines had
heard of the presents which the French had given to some of their
countrymen, and that they too hoped to receive knives, powder and
bullets, things which they prized very highly. At any rate, the
explorer and his men received vociferous welcome when they entered the
village. 'Our arrival,' says La Verendrye, 'was hailed with great joy,
and we were taken into the dwelling of a young chief, where everything
had been made ready for our reception. They gave us and all our men
very good cheer, and none of us lacked