This time the ruse
succeeded. The Assiniboines, in a panic of alarm, marched off in great
haste, lest the Sioux should intercept them before they could reach
their own country.

Further troubles awaited La Verendrye. The day following the departure
of the Assiniboines he found that his Cree interpreter had gone off
with them, although he had promised faithfully to remain. Even with
this interpreter communications with the Mandans had been difficult.
Before La Verendrye's thoughts expressed in French could reach the
Mandans, they had to pass through the medium of three other languages.
One of La Verendrye's sons, who understood Cree, was able to translate
the explorer's questions into that language; then the Cree interpreter
put the questions into Assiniboine; and several of the Mandans were
sufficiently familiar with the language of the Assiniboines to complete
the chain and express the ideas in their own tongue. With the Cree
interpreter gone, the problem of {64} communication became much more
difficult. Indeed, the only method that remained of carrying on
conversation with the Mandans was by means of signs and gestures.

One of La, Verendrye's principal reasons for visiting the Mandans had
been to find out from them as much as possible of the country which lay
westward. He had hoped that they would be able to tell him something
definite about the Western Sea, something of the best way of reaching
it, and of the tribes he should meet on the way. He had had very
little time to put questions before his interpreter deserted, and now
he feared that he should have to turn back, because he had no means of
getting information from the Mandans. With a great deal of difficulty
he managed to learn that there were six Mandan villages or forts, some
on one side of the Missouri, some on the other, and that farther down
this river lived two other tribes, the Panana and the Pananis, who were
at war with the Mandans, although they had formerly been their fast
friends. The Mandans told him by signs that as one went down the
Missouri it became very wide, and that there a race dwelt who were
white like himself. These people, they said, rode on horseback both
when they hunted {65} and when they went to war; they wore armour and
fought with lances and sabres, which they handled with great skill.
Their forts and houses were of stone and they cultivated their fields.
A whole summer was necessary to reach their country from the Man