by sandbars.  As soon as we arrived a crowd of men, women, and children came down to see us.  Captain Lewis returned with the principal chiefs to the village, while the others remained with us during the evening; the object which seemed to surprise them most, was a cornmill fixed to the boat which we had occasion to use, and delighted them by the ease with which it reduced the grain to powder.  Among others who visited us was the son of the grand chief of the Mandans, who had his two little fingers cut off at the second joints.  On inquiring into this accident, we found that it was customary to express grief for the death of relations by some corporeal suffering, and that the usual mode was to lose two joints of the little fingers, or sometimes the other fingers.  The wind blew very cold in the evening from the southwest.  Two of the party are affected with rheumatic complaints.

CHAPTER V.

Council held with the Mandans—­A prairie on fire, and a singular instance of preservation—­Peace established between the Mandans and Ricaras—­The party encamp for the winter—­Indian mode of catching goats—­Beautiful appearance of northern lights—­Friendly character of the Indians—­Some account of the Mandans—­The Ahnahaways and the Minnetarees—­The party acquire the confidence of the Mandans by taking part in their controversy with the Sioux—­Religion of the Mandans, and their singular conception of the term medicine—­Their tradition—­The sufferings of the party from the severity of the season—­Indian game of billiards described—­Character of the Missouri, of the surrounding country, and of the rivers, creeks, islands, &c.

Saturday, October 27.  At an early hour we proceeded and anchored off the village.  Captain Clarke went on shore, and after smoking a pipe with the chiefs, was desired to remain and eat with them.  He declined on account of his being unwell; but his refusal gave great offence to the Indians, who considered it disrespectful not to eat when invited, till the cause was explained to their satisfaction.  We sent them some tobacco, and then proceeded to the second village on the north, passing by a bank containing coal, and a second village, and encamped at four miles on the north, opposite to a village of Ahnahaways.  We here met with a Frenchman, named Jesseaume, who lives among the Indians with his wife and children, and who we take as an interpreter.  The Indians had flocked to the bank to see us as we passed, and they visited in great numbers the camp, where some of them remained all night.  We sent in the evening three young Indians with a present of tobacco for the chiefs of the three upper villages, inviting them to come down in the morning to a council with us.  Accordingly the next day,