e the soldiers the tobacco,
and pulling the rope out of their hands delivered it on board, and we
then set sail under a breeze from the S.E. After sailing about two miles
we observed the third chief beckoning to us: we took him on board, and
he informed us that the rope had been held by the order of the second
chief, who was a double-faced man. A little farther on we were joined by
the son of the chief, who came on board to see his father. On his return
we sent a speech to the nation, explaining what we had done, and
advising them to peace; but if they persisted in their attempts to stop
us, we were willing and able to defend ourselves. After making six
miles, during which we passed a willow island on the south and one
sandbar, we encamped on another in the middle of the river. The country
on the south-side was a low prairie, that on the north highland.

September 29. We set out early, but were again impeded by sandbars,
which made the river shallow; the weather was however fair; the land on
the north side low and covered with timber contrasted with the bluffs to
the south. At nine o'clock we saw the second chief and two women and
three men on shore, who wished us to take two women offered by the
second chief to make friends, which was refused; he then requested us to
take them to the other band of their nation, who were on the river not
far from us: this we declined; but in spite of our wishes they followed
us along shore. The chief asked us to give them some tobacco; this we
did, and gave more as a present for that part of the nation which we did
not see. At seven and a half miles we came to a small creek on the
southern side, where we saw great numbers of elk, and which we called
Notimber creek from its bare appearance. Above the mouth of this stream,
a Ricara band of Pawnees had a village five years ago: but there are no
remains of it except the mound which encircled the town. Here the second
chief went on shore. We then proceeded, and at the distance of eleven
miles encamped on the lower part of a willow island, in the middle of
the river, being obliged to substitute large stones in the place of the
anchor which we lost.

September 30. The wind was this morning very high from the southeast, so
that we were obliged to proceed under a double-reefed mainsail, through
the rain. The country presented a large low prairie covered with timber
on the north side; on the south, we first had high barren hills, but
after some