disposition was friendly we resolved to remain during the night to a
dance, which they were preparing for us. Captains Lewis and Clarke, who
went on shore one after the other, were met on landing by ten well
dressed young men, who took them up in a robe highly decorated and
carried them to a large council house, where they were placed on a
dressed buffaloe skin by the side of the grand chief. The hall or
council-room was in the shape of three quarters of a circle, covered at
the top and sides with skins well dressed and sewed together. Under this
shelter sat about seventy men, forming a circle round the chief, before
whom were placed a Spanish flag and the one we had given them yesterday.
This left a vacant circle of about six feet diameter, in which the pipe
of peace was raised on two forked sticks, about six or eight inches from
the ground, and under it the down of the swan was scattered: a large
fire, in which they were cooking provisions, stood near, and in the
centre about four hundred pounds of excellent buffaloe meat as a present
for us. As soon as we were seated, an old man got up, and after
approving what we had done, begged us to take pity on their unfortunate
situation. To this we replied with assurances of protection. After he
had ceased, the great chief rose and delivered an harangue to the same
effect: then with great solemnity he took some of the most delicate
parts of the dog, which was cooked for the festival, and held it to the
flag by way of sacrifice: this done, he held up the pipe of peace, and
first pointed it towards the heavens, then to the four quarters of the
globe, and then to the earth, made a short speech, lighted the pipe, and
presented it to us. We smoked, and he again harangued his people, after
which the repast was served up to us. It consisted of the dog which they
had just been cooking, this being a great dish among the Sioux and used
on all festivals; to this were added, pemitigon, a dish made of buffaloe
meat, dried or jerked, and then pounded and mixed raw with grease and a
kind of ground potatoe, dressed like the preparation of Indian corn