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the　Indians；　having　been　notified　that　the　country　had　been　ceded　to　the　Americans；　burned　the　letter　containing　the　tidings；　refusing　to　believe　the　report。　　The　Osage　Indians；　through　whose　territory　they　were　now　passing；　were　among　the　largest　and　finest…formed　red　men　of　the　West。　　Their　name　came　from　the　river　along　which　they　warred　and　hunted；　but　their　proper　title；　as　they　called　themselves；　was　〃the　Wabashas；〃　and　from　them；　in　later　years；　we　derive　the　familiar　name　of　Wabash。　　A　curious　tradition　of　this　people；　according　to　the　journal　of　Lewis　and　Clark；　is　that　the　founder　of　the　nation　was　a　snail；　passing　a　quiet　existence　along　the　banks　of　the　Osage；　till　a　high　flood　swept　him　down　to　the　Missouri；　and　left　him　exposed　on　the　shore。　The　heat　of　the　sun　at　length　ripened　him　into　a　man；　but　with　the　change　of　his　nature　he　had　not　forgotten　his　native　seats　on　the　Osage；　towards　which　he　immediately　bent　his　way。　He　was；　however；　soon　overtaken　by　hunger　and　fatigue；　when　happily；　the　Great　Spirit　appeared；　and；　giving　him　a　bow　and　arrow；　showed　him　how　to　kill　and　cook　deer；　and　cover　himself　with　the　skin。　He　then　proceeded　to　his　original　residence；　but　as　he　approached　the　river　he　was　met　by　a　beaver；　who　inquired　haughtily　who　he　was；　and　by　what　authority　he　came　to　disturb　his　possession。　　The　Osage　answered　that　the　river　was　his　own；　for　he　had　once　lived　on　its　borders。　As　they　stood　disputing；　the　daughter　of　the　beaver　came；　and　having；　by　her　entreaties；　reconciled　her　father　to　this　young　stranger；　it　was　proposed　that　the　Osage　should　marry　the　young　beaver；　and　share　with　her　family　the　enjoyment　of　the　river。　The　Osage　readily　consented；　and　from　this　happy　union　there　soon　came　the　village　and　the　nation　of　the　Wabasha；　or　Osages；　who　have　ever　since　preserved　a　pious　reverence　for　their　ancestors；　abstaining　from　the　chase　of　the　beaver；　because　in　killing　that　animal　they　killed　a　brother　of　the　Osage。　　Of　late　years；　however；　since　the　trade　with　the　whites　has　rendered　beaver…skins　more　valuable；　the　sanctity　of　these　maternal　relatives　has　been　visibly　reduced；　and　the　poor　animals　have　lost　all　the　privileges　of　kindred。

Game　was　abundant　all　along　the　river　as　the　explorers　sailed　up　the　stream。　　Their　hunters　killed　numbers　of　deer；　and　at　the　mouth　of　Big　Good　Woman　Creek；　which　empties　into　the　Missouri　near　the　present　town　of　Franklin；　Howard　County；　three　bears　were　brought　into　the　camp。　　Here；　too；　they　began　to　find　salt　springs；　or　〃salt　licks；〃　to　which　many　wild　animals　resorted　for　salt；　of　which　they　were　very　fond。　Saline　County；　Missouri；　perpetuates　the　name　given　to　the　region　by　Lewis　and　Clark。　　Traces　of　buffalo　were　also　found　here；　and　occasional　wandering　traders　told　them　that　the　Indians　had　begun　to　hunt　the　buffalo　now　that　the　grass　had　become　abundant　enough　to　attract　this　big　game　from　regions　lying　further　south。

By　the　tenth　of　June　the　party　had　entered　the　country　of　the　Ayauway　nation。　　This　was　an　easy　way　of　spelling　the　word　now　familiar　to　us　as　〃Iowa。〃　　But　before　that　spelling　was　reached；　it　was　Ayaway；　Ayahwa；　Iawai；　Iaway；　and　soon。　　The　remnants　of　this　once　powerful　tribe　now　number　scarcely　two　hundred　persons。　In　Lewis　and　Clark's　time；　they　were　a　large　nation；　with　several　hundred　warriors；　and　were　constantly　at　war　with　their　neighbors。　Game　here　grew　still　more　abundant；　and　in　addition　to　deer　and　bear　the　hunters　brought　in　a　raccoon。　　One　of　these　hunters　brought　into　camp　a　wild　tale　of　a　snake　which；　he　said；　〃made　a　guttural　noise　like　a　turkey。〃　　One　of　the　French　voyageurs　confirmed　this　story；　but　the　croaking　snake　was　never　found　and　identified。

On　the　twenty…fourth　of　June　the　explorers　halted　to　prepare　some　of　the　meat　which　their　hunters　brought　in。　　Numerous　herds　of　deer　were　feeding　on　the　abundant　grass　and　young　willows　that　grew　along　the　river　banks。　The　meat；　cut　in　small　strips；　or　ribbons；　was　dried　quickly　in　the　hot　sun。　This　was　called　〃jirked〃　meat。　　Later　on　the　word　was　corrupted　into　〃jerked；〃　and　〃jerked　beef〃　is　not　unknown　at　the　present　day。　　The　verb　〃jerk〃　is　corrupted　from　the　Chilian　word；　charqui；　meaning　sun…dried　meat；　but　it　is　not　easy　to　explain　how　the　Chilian　word　got　into　the　Northwest。

As　the　season　advanced；　the　party　found　many　delicious　wild　fruits；　such　as　currants；　plums；　raspberries；　wild　apples；　and　vast　quantities　of　mulberries。　　Wild　turkeys　were　also　found　in　large　numbers；　and　the　party　had　evidently　entered　a　land　of　plenty。　Wild　geese　were　abundant；　and　numerous　tracks　of　elk　were　seen。　But　we　may　as　well　say　here　that　the；　so…called　elk　of　the　Northwest　is　not　the　elk　of　ancient　Europe；　a　more　correct　and　distinctive　name　for　this　animal　is　wapiti；　the　name　given　the　animal　by　the　Indians。　The　European　elk　more　closely　resembles　the　American　moose。　Its　antlers　are　flat；　low；　and　palmated　like　our　moose；　whereas　the　antlers　of　the　American　elk；　so…called；　are　long；　high；　and　round…shaped　with　many　sharp　points　or　tines。　The　mouth　of　the　great　Platte　River　was　reached　on　the　twenty…first　of　July。　　This　famous　stream　was　then　regarded　as　a　sort　of　boundary　line　between　the　known　and　unknown　regions。　As　mariners　crossing　the　equator　require　all　their　comrades；　who　have　not　been　〃over　the　line〃　to　submit　to　lathering　and　shaving；　so　the　Western　voyageurs　merrily　compelled　their　mates　to　submit　to　similar　horse…play。　The　great　river　was　also　the　mark　above　which　explorers　entered　upon　what　was　called　the　Upper　Missouri。

The　expedition　was　now　advancing　into　a　region　inhabited　by　several　wandering　tribes　of　Indians；　chief　of　which　were　the　Ottoes；　Missouris；　and　Pawnees。　　It　was　determined；　therefore；　to　call　a　council　of　some　of　the　chiefs　of　these　bands　and　make　terms　of　peace　with　them。　After　some　delay；　the　messengers　sent　out　to　them　brought　in　fourteen　representative　Indians；　to　whom　the　white　men　made　presents　of　roast　meat；　pork；　flour；　and　corn…meal；　in　return　for　which　their　visitors　brought　them　quantities　of　delicious　watermelons。　〃Next　day；　August　3；〃　says　the　journal；　〃the　Indians；　with　their　six　chiefs；　were　all　assembled　under　an　awning　formed　with　the　mainsail；　in　presence　of　all　our　party；　paraded　for　the　occasion。　A　speech　was　then　made；　announcing　to　them　the　change　in　the　government；　our　promises　of　protection；　and　advice　as　to　their　future　conduct。　All　the　six　chiefs　replied　to　our　speech；　each　in　his　turn；　according　to　rank。　　They　expressed　their　joy　at　the　change　in　the　government；　their　hopes　that　we　would　recommend　them　to　their　Great　Father　（the　president）；　that　they　might　obtain　trade　and　necessaries：　they　wanted　arms　as　well　for　hunting　as　for　defence；　and　asked　our　mediation　between　them　and　the　Mahas；　with　whom　they　are　now　at　war。　We　promised　to　do　so；　and　wished　some　of　them　to　accompany　us　to　that　nation；　which　they　declined；　for　fear　of　being　killed　by　them。　　We　then　proceeded　to　distribute　our　presents。　The　grand　chief　of　the　nation　not　being　of　the　party；　we　sent　him　a　flag；　a　medal；　and　some　ornaments　for　clothing。　To　the　six　chiefs　who　were　present；　we　gave　a　medal　of　the　second　grade　to　one　Ottoe　chief　and　one　Missouri　chief；　a　medal　of　the　third　grade　to　two　inferior　chiefs　of　each　nation；　the　customary　mode　of　recognizing　a　chief　being　to　place　a　medal　round　his　neck；　which　is　considered　among　his　tribe　as　a　proof　of　his　consideration　abroad。　Each　of　these　medals　was　accompanied　by　a　present　of　paint；　garters；　and　cloth　ornaments　of　dress；　and　to　this　we　added　a　canister　of　powder；　a　bottle　of　whiskey；　and　a　few　presents　to　the　whole；　which　appeared　to　make　them　perfectly　satisfied。　The　air…gun；　too；　was　fired；　and　astonished　them　greatly。　The　absent　grand　chief　was　an　Ottoe；　named　Weahrushhah；　which；　in　English；　degenerates　into　Little　Thief。　　The　two　principal　chieftains　present　were　Shongotongo；　or　Big　Horse；　and　Wethea；　or　Hospitality；　also　Shosguscan；　or　White　Horse；　an　Ottoe；　the　first　an　Ottoe；　the　second　a　Missouri。　　The　incidents　just　related　induced　us　to　give　to　this　place　the　name　of　the　Council　Bluffs：　the　situation　of　it　is　exceedingly　favorable　for　a　fort　and　trading　factory；　as　the　soil　is　well　calculated　for　bricks；　and　there　is　an　abundance　of　wood　in　the　neighborhood；　and　the　air　being　pure　and　healthy。〃

Of　course　the　reader　will　recognize；　in　the　name　given　to　this　place　by　Lewis　and　Clark；　the　flourishing　modern　city　of　Council　Bluffs；　Iowa。　　Nevertheless；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　the　council　took　place　on　the　Nebraskan　or　western　side　of　the　river；　and　the　meeting…place　was　at　some　distance　above　the　site　of　the　present　city　of　Council　Bluffs。

Above　Council　Bluffs　the　explorers　found　the　banks　of　the　river　to　be　high　and　bluffy；　and　on　one　of　the　highlands　which　they　passed　they　saw　the　burial…place　of　Blackbird；　one　of　the　great　men　of　the　Mahars；　or　Omahas；　who　had　died　of　small…pox。　A　mound；　twelve　feet　in　diameter　and　six　feet　high；　had　been　raised　over　the　grave；　and　on　a　tall　pole　at　the　summit　the　party　fixed　a　flag　of　red；　white；　and　blue。　The　place　was　regarded　as　sacred　by　the　Omahas；　who　kept　the　dead　chieftain　well　supplied　with　provisions。　　The　small…pox　had　caused　great　mortality　among　the　Indians；　and　a　few　years　before　the　white　men's　visit；　when　the　fell　disease　had　destroyed　four　hundred　men；　with　a　due　proportion　of　women　and　children；　the　survivors　burned　their　village　and　fled。

〃They　had　been　a　military　and　powerful　people；　but　when　these　warriors　saw　their　strength　wasting　before　a　malady　which　they　could　not　resist；　their　frenzy　was　extreme；　they　burned　their　village；　and　many　of　them　put　to　death　their　wives　and　children；　to　save　them　from　so　cruel　an　affliction；　and　that　all　might　go　together　to　some　better　country。〃


In　Omaha；　or　Mahar　Creek；　the　explorers　made　their　first　experiment　in　dragging　the　stream　for　fish。　　With　a　drag　of　willows；　loaded　with　stones；　they　succeeded　in　catching　a　great　variety　of　fine　fish；　over　three　hundred　at　one　haul；　and　eight　hundred　at　another。　These　were　pike；　bass；　salmon…trout；　catfish；　buffalo　fish；　perch；　and　a　species　of　shrimp；　all　of　which　proved　an　acceptable　addition　to　their　usual　flesh　bill…of…fare。

Desiring　to　call　in　some　of　the　surrounding　Indian　tribes；　they　here　set　fire　to　the　dry　prairie　grass；　that　being　the　customary　signal　for　a　meeting　of　different　bands　of　roving　peoples。　In　the　afternoon　of　August　18；　a　party　of　Ottoes；　headed　by　Little　Thief　and　Big　Horse；　came　in；　with　six　other　chiefs　and　a　French　interpreter。　The　journal　says：

〃We　met　them　under　a　shade；　and　after　they　had　finished　a　repast　with　which　we　supplied　them；　we　inquired　into　the　origin　of　the　war　between　them　and　the　Mahas；　which　they　related　with　great　frankness。　　It　seems　that　two　of　the　Missouris　went　to　the　Mahas　to　steal　horses；　but　were　detected　and　killed；　the　Ottoes　and　Missouris　thought　themselves　bound　to　avenge　their　companions；　and　the　whole　nations　were　at　last　obliged　to　share　in　the　dispute。　They　are　also　in　fear　of　a　war　from　the　Pawnees；　whose　village　they　entered　this　summer；　while　the　inhabitants　were　hunting；　and　stole　their　corn。　This　ingenuous　confession　did　not　make　us　the　less　desirous　of　negotiating　a　peace　for　them；　but　no