s of the Minnetarees came accompanied by his
squaw, a handsome woman, whom he was desirous we should use during the
night. He favoured us with a more acceptable present, a draft of the
Missouri in his manner, and informed us of his intention to go to war in
the spring against the Snake Indians; we advised him to reflect
seriously before he committed the peace of his nation to the hazards of
war; to look back on the numerous nations whom war has destroyed, that
if he wished his nation to be happy he should cultivate peace and
intercourse with all his neighbours, by which means they would procure
more horses, increase in numbers, and that if he went to war he would
displease his great father the president, and forfeit his protection. We
added that we had spoken thus to all the tribes whom we had met, that
they had all opened their ears, and that the president would compel
those who did not voluntarily listen to his advice. Although a young man
of only twenty-six years of age, this discourse seemed to strike him. He
observed that if it would be displeasing to us he would not go to war,
since he had horses enough, and that he would advise all the nation to
remain at home, until we had seen the Snake Indians, and discovered
whether their intentions were pacific. The party who went down with the
horses for the man who was frostbitten returned, and we are glad to find
his complaint not serious.

Thursday 17. The day was very windy from the north; the morning clear
and cold, the thermometer at sunrise being at 0: we had several Indians
with us.

Friday 18. The weather is fine and moderate. Messrs. Laroche and
M'Kenzie, two of the N.W. company's traders, visited us with some of the
Minnetarees. In the afternoon two of our hunters returned, having killed
four wolves and a blaireau.

Saturday 19. Another cloudy day. The two traders set out on their
return, and we sent two men with the horses thirty miles below to the
hunting camp.

Sunday 20. The day fair and cold. A number of Indians visit us with corn
to exchange for articles, and to pay for repairs to their household
utensils.

Monday 21. The weather was fine and moderate. The hunters all returned,
having killed during their absence three elk, four deer, two porcupines,
a fox and a hare.

Tuesday 22. The cold having moderated and the day pleasant, we attempted
to cut the boats out of the ice, but at the distance of eight inches
came to water, under which the ice became