A Pawnee prisoner, an interesting young man, {123} was brought to them, who said he was desirous to accompany them to his nation, but at the same time was afraid his people would not recognize him, and would kill him for a Konza. He was promised protection, but at the same time it was remarked to him, that if he should attempt to steal the horses of the party on the way, they would certainly pursue him and take his scalp. On the 24th, says Mr. Say, having been detained until afternoon in searching for our horses, we departed, accompanied by several Indians, who intended to pass the night with us and to return to the village the following morning. Our path led along the margin of Blue Earth Creek, a stream of the width of twenty-five yards, and greatest depth of three feet, which discharges into the river a mile or two above the Konza village. The soil supports but a thin growth of grass, and the timber is far from abundant, consisting principally of different sorts of oak, confined to the margin of the creek, its ravines and tributaries. One of our Indian followers, who, although a chief of the extinct Missouri nation,[157] has yet much influence with the Konzas, wished to exchange a horse he had with him for one of ours, which was evidently a less valuable animal. The reason he assigned in explanation of his desire of such an apparently disadvantageous exchange was, that his horse had been presented to him by a person, who, he feared, intended to reclaim him, but that if he should exchange him for another horse, he would be secure in the possession of the individual so obtained, as an Indian will not reclaim a present which is not identically the same he had given. At the distance of seven miles from the village, our party encamped by the side of the creek, in a narrow, but beautiful and level prairie bottom, which was bounded by an abrupt, though verdant range of bluffs. [Illustration: INDIAN RECORD _of a_ BATTLE _between the PAWNEES and the KONZAS_. A Fac simile _of a Delineation upon a_ BISON ROBE. _London, Pub^{d}, by Longman & C^{o.}, 1823_]