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 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