Volume 1

324 DESERTED VILLAGE—HOSPITABLE BLACK CAT.
its environs not producing so well as formerly, they have
now built about a mile lower down the river. Near this
deserted village*' we saw great numbers of their dead exposed
upon stages about eight feet from the ground. Many
of the coverings, which are generally of dressed leather and
parchment, were still very good, whilst others were decayed,
and nothing but the bones appeared others, again,
;
were
decaying and falling to the ground as the stages went to
pieces..
This melancholy sight cast a damper on our spirits,
which had been enlivened by reaching our destination.
We soon met a Mandane, well armed with his gun, etc.;
he accompanied a party of women hoeing corn, and served
as their guard. On perceiving us, he came up and shook
hands in a friendly manner, and expressed himself by signs
that we should put up at his village. We saw many children
and women at work in the cornfield. Just before we
entered the village we were met by the chief of the place,
Le Chat Noir," and a number of the natives ; everyone
shook hands and bade us welcome as we rode on through
their ranks. The chief then conducted us to one of his
huts, which was appropriated for the reception of strangers.
He has another, in which most of his family reside. He
keeps one of his wives in the house we entered, to wait
upon his guests, cook, bring water, and even serve as a bedfellow
when required. In a moment the whole village
flocked around us, curious to see what articles we had
brought to trade ;
but they were neither troublesome nor
impertinent. Having unsaddled and taken our baggage
into the hut, the chief gave our horses in charge of a young
man, and told us we need not be uneasy, as good care
'•''
One of the t2uo that were on the N. side of the Missouri till after 1798 :
" the two villages on the northwest side of the Missouri. . . In this situation
they were found by those who visited them in 1796 ; since which the two villages
have united into one," L. and C, p. 197. The two that were inhabited
at the time of Henry's visit were the one on the N. and the other on the S. side
of the river, respectively the second 2i\\A \\\& Jirst of L. and C.
*^ The Black Cat, otherwise Poscopsahe, of L. and C, passim, esp. pp. 183,
231, 1178.