Page:A Brief History of South Dakota.djvu/45

Rh evident that the explorers were more or less afraid of them; so they held a hasty council, made a speech, smoked a pipe, and prepared to go on. As had been done at Yankton, each of the chiefs was given a medal, a United States flag, a laced uniform coat, a cocked hat and feather, and some small presents were distributed among the other men. Each of the Indians was given also a quarter of a glass of whisky, which they seemed to like very much.

But when the party made ready to proceed up the river, the Indians promptly protested. Three of them seized the cable which held the boat, and another put his arms around the mast. Lewis and Clark were told flatly that they could not go on. The Indians stood about, drew their arrows from the quivers, and were bending their bows, when Captain Clark drew his sword and made a signal to the boat to prepare for action. The little cannon, called a swivel gun, which was mounted on the bow of his boat, was swung about so as to cover the Indians, and twelve of the men sprang to the assistance of Captain Clark. This action had the desired effect, for the Indians withdrew for a council. The party got off with the boats, but two of the Indians waded in after them and were taken on board. They went out into the stream and anchored off Marion's Island, which they named Bad Humored Island.

The next morning the chiefs sent a message to them expressing sorrow for the occurrence of the previous day and desiring them to remain over for a feast and council, which the captains determined to do. Captains Lewis and Clark were each met at the shore by ten young men,