Pawnees, whose village they entered this summer, while the inhabitants
were hunting, and stole their corn. This ingenuous confession did not
make us the less desirous of negotiating a peace for them; but no
Indians have as yet been attracted by our fire. The evening was closed
by a dance; and the next day,

August 19, the chiefs and warriors being assembled at ten o'clock, we
explained the speech we had already sent from the Council-bluffs, and
renewed our advice. They all replied in turn, and the presents were then
distributed: we exchanged the small medal we had formerly given to the
Big Horse for one of the same size with that of Little Thief: we also
gave a small medal to a third chief, and a kind of certificate or letter
of acknowledgment to five of the warriors expressive of our favour and
their good intentions: one of them dissatisfied, returned us the
certificate; but the chief, fearful of our being offended, begged that
it might be restored to him; this we declined, and rebuked them severely
for having in view mere traffic instead of peace with their neighbours.
This displeased them at first; but they at length all petitioned that it
should be given to the warrior, who then came forward and made an
apology to us; we then delivered it to the chief to be given to the most
worthy, and he bestowed it on the same warrior, whose name was Great
Blue Eyes. After a more substantial present of small articles and
tobacco, the council was ended with a dram to the Indians. In the
evening we exhibited different objects of curiosity, and particularly
the airgun, which gave them great surprise. Those people are almost
naked, having no covering, except a sort of breechcloth round the
middle, with a loose blanket or buffaloe robe painted, thrown over them.
The names of these warriors, besides those already mentioned were
Karkapaha, (or Crow's head) and Nenasawa (or Black Cat) Missouris; and
Sananona (or Iron Eyes) Neswaunja (or Big Ox) Stageaunja (or Big Blue