of competition.

"Brothers," said he, "you have come for our beaver and our robes. As
for us, we want powder and ball and more iron hatchets and knives. We
have traded with the Assiniboines, who are foolish people, and have
taken all their goods away from them. We have killed the Rees until we
are tired of killing them. The Sioux will not trouble us if we have
plenty of powder and ball. We know that you have come to trade with
us. See, the snow is here. Light your lodge fires with the Mandans.
Stay here until the grass comes once more!"

"We open our ears to what Big White has said," replied Lewis--speaking
through Jussaume, the Frenchman, who soon was added as interpreter to
the party. "We are the children of a Great Father in the East, who
gives you this medal with his picture on it. He sends you this coat,
this hat of a chief. He gives you this hatchet, this case of tobacco.
There are other hatchets and more tobacco for your people."

"What Great Father is that?" demanded Big White. "It seems there are
many Great Fathers in these days! Who are you strangers, who come from
so far?"

"You yourself shall judge, Big White. When the geese fly up the river
and the grass is green, our great boat here is going back down the
river. The Great Father is curious to know his children, the Mandans.
If you, Big White, wish to go to see him when the grass is green, you
shall sit yonder in that boat and go all the way with some of my men.
You shall shake his hand. When you come back, you can tell the story
to your own people. Then all the tribes will cease to wage war. Your
women once more may take off their moccasins at night when they
sleep."

"It is good," said the Mandan. "_Ahaie!_ Come and stay with us until
the grass is green, and I will make medicine over what you say. We
will open our lodges to you, and will not harm you. Our young women
will carry you corn which they have saved for the winter. Our squaws
will feed your horses. Go no farther, for the snow and ice are coming
fast. Even the buffalo will be thin, and the elk will grow so lean
that they will not be good to eat. This is as far as the white men
ever come when the grass is green. Beyond this, no man knows the
trails."

"When the grass is green," said Lewis, "I shall lead my young men
toward the setting sun. We shall make new trails."

Jussaume, McCracken, and all the others held their own council with
the leaders of the expedition.

"What are you doing h