relieve us from the musquitoes, who generally give us great trouble.

Friday 17. The wind continued from the southeast, and the morning was
fair. We observe about us a grass resembling wheat, except that the
grain is like rye, also some similar to both rye and barley, and a kind
of timothy, the seed of which branches from the main stock, and is more
like a flaxseed than a timothy. In the evening, one of the party sent to
the Ottoes, returned with the information that the rest were coming on
with the deserter: they had also caught Liberte, but, by a trick, he
made his escape: they were bringing three of the chiefs in order to
engage our assistance in making peace with the Mahas. This nation having
left their village, that desirable purpose cannot be effected; but in
order to bring in any neighbouring tribes, we set the surrounding
prairies on fire. This is the customary signal made by traders to
apprize the Indians of their arrival: it is also used between different
nations as an indication of any event which they have previously agreed
to announce in that way; and as soon as it is seen collects the
neighbouring tribes, unless they apprehend that it is made by their
enemies.

August 18. In the afternoon the party arrived with the Indians,
consisting of the Little Thief and the Big Horse, whom we had seen on
the third, together with six other chiefs, and a French interpreter. We
met them under a shade, and after they had finished a repast with which
we supplied them, we inquired into the origin of the war between them
and the Mahas, which they related with great frankness. It seems that
two of the Missouris went to the Mahas to steal horses, but were
detected and killed; the Ottoes and Missouris thought themselves bound
to avenge their companions, and the whole nations were at last obliged
to share in the dispute; they are also in fear of a war from the