BOURGEOIS - Toronto Public Library

302 F. A. LAROCQ.UE
They informed us that they were coming from the Missouri
villages, where a great number of their nation, that is Assimboines.
had been and were on their way back, whom they said
we would probably meet with them and likewise with a band of
Knisteneaux who had also been there trading corn and horses.
Continued our journey and encamped at sunset on the side
of a creek. The plains all burnt: excepting the spot on which
we encamped. When it was dark, we tied our horses with long
cords to pickets fixed in the ground, in order that they might
not get away from us during the night; kept watch over them
all night by turns, being apprehensive that some of these vagabonds
had followed us to steel them.
221HI. Prepared to set off, but two horses belonging to Lafrance and
Azure are missing. Remained here the whole day to search for
them but to 110 effect.-Killed a bull. At sunset removed a little
higher upon the coulee to a better place for the feeding of our
horses, where we kept them tied to pickets all night.
23nl. Set off at break of day, taking the loads of the missing horses
on Mr. McKenzie's horse and my own.-Found the Assiniboine
road leading to the Missouri at 9 0' clock A. M. i-at mid-day
passed one of their encampments, counted seventy-five fireplaces
;--passed two more encampments in the evening and
stopped for the night by the side of a small lake around which,
and no where else, there was grass for our horses ................... .
24th. Set off at sunrise; two hours after, met with two of the Big
Belly Indians who were going huntillg; they appeared well
pleased to see us; I smoked a pipe with them and departed. At
mid-day, saw the smoke of one of the Big Belly villages to the
south of which we passed; at two, arrived at another of their
villages where I enquired for Charbonneau, (it being his usual
place of residence,) and was informed by a Hudson's Bay man,
who is there for the purposes of trade, that he was with some