ver seen.
The principal chief of the tribe led La Verendrye into his own lodge,
and told him to consider it his home so long as he cared to remain in
the village. When the two entered the lodge a crowd of Mandans
followed and the place became suffocating. La Verendrye told the crowd
that they should have many opportunities later to see him, and after
some difficulty he managed to have the place cleared.

This, however, was not effected before the unfortunate explorer had
suffered another loss. He found that, in the confusion, an
enterprising Indian had snatched the bag of presents from one of his
men, and had made off with it. This was serious. The bag contained
nearly all the gifts which he had brought for the chiefs of the
Mandans, and he feared that these chiefs might now look coldly upon a
white man who was unable to offer the customary presents. He explained
what had happened to the principal chief. The chief seemed very much
put out and told La Verendrye for his {62} consolation that there were
a good many rascals among the Mandans. Later, when the Assiniboines
told the chief that he was himself the thief, he made the weak retort
that one of his accusers might be the culprit. He promised to do his
best to recover the bag, but La Verendrye never saw it again.

In a day or two the Assiniboines took leave of La Verendrye, and, much
to the relief of the Mandans, prepared to return to their own village.
Before their departure, the chief of the Assiniboines made a speech to
the Mandans. 'We are leaving you our father,' he said. 'Take great
care of him, and of all the French. Learn to know them, for they are
wise; they know how to do everything. We love our father, and we also
fear him. Do as we do.' The Mandans promised to take every care of
the visitors. Everything the village contained, they said, was at
their service for the asking. They begged that the white chief would
count them among the members of his family. In compliance with their
wish, La Verendrye went through the usual ceremony of placing his hands
on the heads of each of the chiefs. By this ceremony they became his
'children.' The Assiniboines, though they had taken leave of La
Verendrye, {63} still delayed their departure. The Mandans, alarmed at
the quantities of provisions their unwelcome guests required, again
spread the report that the Sioux were approaching. Indeed, they said,
several Mandan hunters had caught sight of them.