lprit was
overtaken on the following day and the bag was recovered. The
pursuers, however, instead of bringing it back to La Verendrye, carried
it on to their village to keep for him until his return. This singular
conduct was due to their fear of the Sioux. The white man's bag would
be safe at the Assiniboine village, but if they ventured to carry it
back to La Verendrye they were not so sure that either it or their own
scalps would be safe at the Mandan village, with the ferocious Sioux
hovering about. They did not know, of course, that the story of the
Sioux was nothing but a hoax.

When La Verendrye arrived within a few miles of the Mandan village, he
found awaiting him another party of Mandans under two of their chiefs.
They had lighted a camp-fire and had brought food for their guests.
The chiefs welcomed him, led him to the place of honour beside the
fire, and presented him with some of their native dishes--corn pounded
into a paste and baked in the coals and something {60} that looked like
a pumpkin pie without the pastry. The party smoked the pipe of peace
and carried on a rather clumsy conversation by means of an interpreter.
Then they resumed the journey and presently the Mandan village appeared
in sight. If the explorer had been disappointed in finding the Mandans
very similar in appearance to other western tribes, now at least he was
gratified to find their buildings more elaborate and interesting than
any he had before met with. The village was in fact a fort, apparently
strong enough to protect the inhabitants from anything less powerful
than artillery, of which of course they had no knowledge.

La Verendrye, knowing that the Indians were always impressed by an
imposing ceremony, now drew up his men in military order. He told his
son Francois to march in front, bearing the flag of France. The
Mandans, who looked upon the explorer as a great white chief, would not
permit him to walk, but carried him upon their shoulders to the gate of
the fort. Naturally he did not like this mode of travel, but he
submitted to it for fear of displeasing his hosts. As they drew near
the fort, he ordered his men to fire a volley as a salute to the
Mandans. The {61} principal chiefs and warriors flocked out to meet
him, and escorted him within their walls. When he marched in with his
force, he saw the ramparts crowded with men, women, and children, who
looked with astonishment upon the first white men they had e