THE VERENDRYE EXPLORATIONS

103 among them. The elder of the Assiniboines, the orator of the village, said to me: My father, we have brought thee here; I do not doubt that thou mayest be well here; we flatter ourselves with bringing thee back to thy fort; thou art the master to do what thou shalt consider suitable; we will come to seek thee, so soon as thou shalt wish it. Speaking then to the Mandans: We are leaving our father; take great care of him and of all the French; learn to know them; they know how to do everything; he is a spirit; we love and fear him; do like us. We leave much grieved at the theft which has been committed on our father by entering among us; what can he think of us; we cannot deny that it is an unworthy thing. The Frenchman came to see us and you robbed him; we are pleased that our father should be good or it would not have passed in that way. I do not fear to tell you so; we could have found the bag had he wished it; there is still time if he will. I made him finish, as I saw the old man was getting heated. One of the Mandan chiefs answered: Neither I, nor my people have any share in what you accuse us of; I do not answer for others; I am vexed enough; I have had every search made by my young men; I have nothing to reproach myself with. Who knows if it is not an As- siniboine? There were some of both in the crowd; thou can'st answer for nothing. Be not uneasy as to what re- gards our father and all his people; he is here master as if he were at home. We beg him to number us among his children. This I did at once, by putting my hands on the head of each chief, which is the usual ceremony, answered by loud shouts of joy and thanks. I then said to the As- siniboines : I am sending four Frenchmen to my fort to give my news there; I recommend you to get them to that place as soon as you can. I have left powder in the vil- lage and all that is necessary to have them brought. The council ended with loud thanks from both parties. As the Assiniboines did not yet speak of leaving, although they