Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/122

 had purchased all they were able to do, such as painted ox-robes, deer skin, dressed buck skin and ornamented furs and feathers, painted feathers, and peltry, wrought garters, circlets for head, girdles.

These people dress leather better than any of the other nations, and work in furs and feathers very tastefully, which the Assiniboines are not capable of doing. They are cunning traders, cheating the Assiniboines of all they may possess, such as muskets, powder, balls, kettles, axes, knives or awls, Seeing the great consumption of food daily by the Assiniboines, and afraid that it would not last long, they set afloat a rumor that the Sioux were near and that several of their hunters had noticed them. The Assiniboines fell into the trap and made up their minds quickly to decamp, not wishing to be obliged to fight. A Mandan chief let me understand by a sign that the rumor about the Sioux was to get rid of the Assiniboines. At six in the morning they all left in great haste, believing the Sioux were near and fearing the road might be blocked up. The chief with whom I had lodged brought five men to remain with me, saying: My father, I still hope that you will join us for a little; I march peaceably. Here are five of my young men whom I give thee to remain with thee and to guide thee when thou shalt wish to leave. I made him a small present to thank him, telling him that he knew that I had sense and that I intended shortly to reward him for his attention. He left with great protestations of friendship.

I was notified shortly after that an interpreter whom I paid liberally to secure him had decamped in spite of all the offers which my son, the Chevalier, had made him, as he was going after an Assiniboine woman with whom he had fallen in love, but who would not remain with him. He was a young man of the Cree nation speaking good Assiniboine. As there were several Mandans who spoke it well enough, I made myself very well understood, as my son spoke Cree and the Cree interpreted into Assini-