a little chief,
whom he had notified of the approach of the bald-headed chief, and a
party of the Big Hearts of the East, and that he was prepared to receive
them in becoming style. As, among other ceremonials, he intended to
salute them with a discharge of firearms, he had sent the horn of
gunpowder that they might return the salute in a manner correspondent to
his dignity.

They now proceeded on until they doubled the point of the hill, when the
whole population of the village broke upon their view, drawn out in the
most imposing style, and arrayed in all their finery. The effect of the
whole was wild and fantastic, yet singularly striking. In the front rank
were the chiefs and principal warriors, glaringly painted and decorated;
behind them were arranged the rest of the people, men, women, and
children.

Captain Bonneville and his party advanced slowly, exchanging salutes of
firearms. When arrived within a respectful distance, they dismounted.
The chiefs then came forward successively, according to their respective
characters and consequence, to offer the hand of good fellowship; each
filing off when he had shaken hands, to make way for his successor.
Those in the next rank followed in the same order, and so on, until all
had given the pledge of friendship. During all this time, the chief,
according to custom, took his stand beside the guests. If any of his
people advanced whom he judged unworthy of the friendship or confidence
of the white men, he motioned them off by a wave of the hand, and they
would submissively walk away. When Captain Bonneville turned upon him an
inquiring look, he would observe, "he was a bad man," or something quite
as concise, and there was an end of the matter.

Mats, poles, and other materials were now brought, and a comfortable
lodge was soon erected for the strangers, where they were kept
constantly supplied with wood and water, and other necessaries; and
all their effects were placed in safe keeping. Their horses, too, were
unsaddled, and turned loose to graze, and a guard set to keep watch upon
them.

All this being adjusted, they were conducted to the main building or
council house of the village, where an ample repast, or rather banquet,
was spread, which seemed to realize all the gastronomical dreams that
had tantalized them during their long starvation; for here they beheld
not merely fish and roots in abundance, but the flesh of deer and elk,
and the choicest pieces of buffal