BOURGEOIS - Toronto Public Library

THE MISSISSOURI INDIANS 375
to accompany Rattle Snake, to the great annoyance of the Gros
Ventres, who would not hear of my going there with good", but
concealed their "real motives under pretense of my personal
safety.
I showed them the goods I intended to take wit.h me, after
having divided them in two, and told them I would leave Ml'.
Caldwell one half to trade with them in my absence. "It is
" not the goods ,ye want", said they, " but if you shoul(l be
" killed, the Chief of the White people will never send another
" here". I told them that if they did not let me go I would
never come to them again. The council broke up and several
came back with buffaloe robes which I would not trade.
The Borgne, who was my landlord, with the greatest chiefs
asked me what we did with beaver, and was much surprised
that people who possessed every good thing which the mind
could imagine, would come so far from their native land for
beaver "It is true," said I, "we have many good things, but
" we have no beaver." After a hearty laugh from the Borgne and
his smokers, I told them with what contempt the Chief of the
White people would look upon me if I did not go to the Shawyens
Who will tell him, " said they, ,. that the Shawyens have
beaver? I replied that he was a man who knew every thing,
and that he would be very angry with my father-for so I called
the Borgne-if he prevented me from going. '" If thflt be the case,
" my son, you shall have full liberty to go to-morrow morning;
" but should you be killed, tell your Chief before you go not
" to blame me. "
He then got up with great composure, took his sacred pipe and
stem, which he lighted and, after making the four elements
smoke, he pointed the stem towards the fort and began haranguing
the chief of the white people not to be irritated, telling
him how often he had served him and his white people. When
done, he said. "Since you say that my comrade, my equal"-