ck Moccasin: a second
chief, Ohhaw, or Little Fox. Other distinguished chiefs of this village
were, Mahnotah, or Big Thief, a man whom we did not see as he is out
fighting, and was killed soon after; and Mahserassa, or Tail of the
Calumet Bird. In the fifth village we made a first chief Eapanopa, or
Red Shield; a second chief Wankerassa, or Two Tailed Calumet Bird, both
young chiefs; other persons of distinction are, Shahakohopinnee, or
Little Wolf's Medicine; Ahrattanamoekshe, or Wolfman chief, who is now
at war, and is the son of the old chief we have mentioned, whose name is
Caltahcota, or Cherry on a Bush.

The presents intended for the grand chief of the Minnetarees, who was
not at the council, were sent to him by the old chief Caltahcota; and we
delivered to a young chief those intended for the chief of the lower
village. The council was concluded by a shot from our swivel, and after
firing the airgun for their amusement, they retired to deliberate on the
answer which they are to give to-morrow.

In the evening the prairie took fire, either by accident or design, and
burned with great fury, the whole plain being enveloped in flames: so
rapid was its progress that a man and a woman were burnt to death before
they could reach a place of safety; another man with his wife and child
were much burnt, and several other persons narrowly escaped destruction.
Among the rest a boy of the half white breed escaped unhurt in the midst
of the flames; his safety was ascribed to the great medicine spirit, who
had preserved him on account of his being white. But a much more natural
cause was the presence of mind of his mother, who seeing no hopes of
carrying off her son, threw him on the ground, and covering him with the
fresh hide of a buffaloe, escaped herself from the flames; as soon as
the fire had passed, she returned and found him untouched, the skin
having prevented, the flame from reaching the grass on which he lay.

Tuesday 30. We were this morning visited by two persons from the lower
village, one the Big White the chief of the village, the other the
Chayenne called the Big Man; they had been hunting, and did not return
yesterday early enough to attend the council. At their request we
repeated part of our speech of yesterday, and put the medal round the
neck of the chief. Captain Clarke took a periogue and went up the river
in search of a good wintering place, and returned after going seven
miles to the lower point of a