came to drive them all off to the village. My tent was the only place
which they respected. Here only came the chiefs and men of distinction,
and generally one of them remained to drive away the women and children.
The numerous strange instruments, applied to still stranger uses, excited
awe and admiration among them; and those which I used in talking with the
sun and stars they looked upon with especial reverence, as mysterious
things of "great medicine."

Of the three barometers which I had brought with me thus far successfully,
I found that two were out of order, and spent the greater part of the 19th
in repairing them--an operation of no small difficulty in the midst of the
incessant interruptions to which I was subjected. We had the misfortune to
break here a large thermometer, graduated to show fifths of a degree,
which I used to ascertain the temperature of boiling water, and with which
I had promised myself some interesting experiments in the mountains. We
had but one remaining, on which the graduation extended sufficiently high;
and this was too small for exact observations. During our stay here, the
men had been engaged in making numerous repairs, arranging pack-saddles,
and otherwise preparing for the chance of a rough road and mountain
travel. All things of this nature being ready, I gathered them around me
in the evening, and told them that "I had determined to proceed the next
day. They were all well armed. I had engaged the services of Mr.
Bissonette as interpreter, and had taken, in the circumstances, every
possible means to ensure our safety. In the rumors we had heard, I
believed there was much exaggeration; that they were men accustomed to
this kind of life and to the country; and that these were the dangers of
every-day occurrence, and to be expected in the ordinary course of their
service. They had heard of the unsettled condition of the country before
leaving St. Louis, and therefore could not make it a reason for breaking
their engagements. Still, I was unwilling to take with me, on a service of