October 4th. At ten o'clock, the hour appointed for the council, the Indians, headed by their chiefs, arrived; and after shaking us all by the hand took their seats. There were about one hundred Otoes, seventy Missouries, and fifty or sixty Ioways. They arranged themselves, agreeably to their tribes, on puncheon benches, which had been prepared for them, and which described a semicircle, on the chord of which sat the whites, with Major O'Fallon and his interpreters in the centre. Sentinels walked to and fro behind the benches; and a handsome standard waved before the assembly. The council was opened by a few rounds from the howitzers. A profound silence reigned for a few minutes, when Major O'Fallon arose, and in a very animated and energetic manner addressed his Indian auditors. Suitable replies were given by Shonga-tonga, the Crenier, and others, with all the extravagant gesticulation which is one of the prominent features of Indian oratory.
At the termination of the council, presents were made of blankets, kettles, strouding, tobacco, guns, powder, and ball, &c. The Big Horse and the Crenier only were acknowledged as chiefs, and to the latter, who did not possess a large medal, one was given in exchange for a smaller one which he possessed. No chief was acknowledged amongst the Missouries, as it is the wish of Major O'Fallon to extinguish as much as possible national prejudices between these two nations or tribes.
Cut Nose now presented to the agent his crow and bison robe ornamented with hieroglyphicks. The Little Black Bear presented his robe of white wolf and bison skin, and a pair of handsome leggings. The Black Bird presented a robe and the serrated instrument of music before mentioned, observing, significantly, that the latter was then the only weapon { 146} he possessed with which he could defend his father.
October 5th. Last evening Loutre, an old Missouri Indian died; he had spoken in the council a few hours before, and remarked then that he had not long to live. He was buried without ceremony near the trading house.
October 9th. Messengers who had been sent yesterday for the Pawnees returned, having met with them on the Elk Horn creek, twenty-five miles distant, on their way hither.[182] They arrived about noon, seventy in number, consisting of individuals of each of the three tribes, called Grand Pawnees, Pawnee Republicans, and Pawnee Loups, or Pawnemahas, and halted at some distance from our camp. As we approached them we observed the majority of them standing in a forest of young willow trees, holding their mules by the bridles, and looking dubiously around. The chief of the principal band, Long Hair, was haranguing them in a loud voice, "Take off your saddles; why do you stand peeping and trembling in the bushes? you ought to have trembled when the whites were seen near the Konza village, &c." We saluted the principal men in the usual manner of shaking by the hand, though not with much cordiality. Major O'Fallon then said, "Pawnees, encamp here and smoke your pipes in security; you have conducted yourselves badly, but the whites will not harm the red-skins when they have them thus in their power; we fight in the plains, and scorn to injure men seated peaceably by their fires. Think well of what you will have to say to me in council to-morrow." These assurances appeared to annul their present apprehensions, and they proceeded to encamp.