Thursday, 27th. Notice having been sent to the opposite party of our arrival, and of our wish to see {42} the principal men, four chiefs presented themselves at our camp this morning at an early hour, as representatives of the several bands, of the same number of different nations, here associated together, and consisting of Kiawas, Kaskaias or Bad-hearts, Shiennes (sometimes written Chayenne), and Arrapahoes. Several distinguished men accompanied them. We had made some little preparation for their reception, by spreading skins for them to sit on, hoisting our flag, and selecting a few presents from our scanty stores. They arranged themselves with due solemnity, and the pipe being passed around, many of them seemed to enjoy it as the greatest rarity, eyeing it as it passed from mouth to mouth, and inhaling its fragrant smoke into their lungs with a pleasure which they could not conceal. One individual of a tall emaciated frame, whose visage was furrowed with deep wrinkles, evidently rather the effect of disease than of age, after filling his lungs and mouth topfull of smoke, placed his hands firmly upon his face and inflated cheeks as in an ecstacy, and unwilling to part with what yielded the utmost pleasure, he retained his breath until suffocation compelled him to drive out the smoke and inhale fresh air, which he effected so suddenly and with so much earnestness, and singular contortion of countenance, that we restrained ourselves with some effort from committing the indecorum of a broad laugh. We had the good fortune to find one of them who could speak the Pawnee language tolerably well; he had acquired it in his early youth, whilst residing in a state of captivity in that nation; so that, by means of our interpreters, we experienced no difficulty in acquainting them, that we belonged to the numerous and powerful nation of Americans,[96] that we had been sent by our great chief, who presides over all the country, to {43} examine that part of his territories, that he might become acquainted with its features, its produce and population; that we had been many moons on our journey, and had passed through many red nations, of whose hospitality we largely partook, &c. This was translated into French, then into Pawnee, and afterwards into Kiawa, and the other languages, by their respective interpreters. In reply, a chief expressed his surprise that we had travelled so far, and assured us that they were happy to see us, and hoped that as a road was now open to our nation, traders would be sent amongst them. We assured them, that traders would be soon amongst them, provided we could report on our return that we had been hospitably treated while travelling through their country.