This most welcome news induced Lieutenant Swift and Julien, accompanied by Clermont's brother, and two or three of the young warriors who were present, to set out immediately for the village, in order to seize the recreants, and conduct them to camp. Thus we were inspired with the most sanguine expectations, not only of retrieving our losses, but also of subjecting the offenders to that punishment which was their due.
In the afternoon we had the company of numerous Indians from the hunting party; and an individual, that left our camp early in the morning in pursuit of the bisons on the opposite side of the river, brought a horse load of very lean meat. Their demeanour was pacific and kind, and they appeared disposed to { 104} serve us. They brought a considerable quantity of plums of a blue colour, and exceedingly agreeable taste, which were collected from trees growing in the adjacent forest. Our cook having intimated to one of them our want of salt, he instantly mounted his horse, and, after a short absence, returned with a supply. One half of the hunting party was soon afterwards observed fording the river in a long line about a mile below our camp; the other portion, we were told, would cross the river at some point above the camp to-morrow morning, and would act in concert with the others, so as to surround the herd of bisons that they were now going in pursuit of.
In the evening Mr. Swift returned unsuccessful; when he left us in the morning he directed his course to Clermont's camp, which he found in the prairie near a little impure puddle of water. He was very cordially and graciously received by the chief, who invited him to partake of some food. He assured Mr. S. of his regret at being unable to induce any of his young men to pursue our fugitives, who, as he had but then been informed, departed from the village early in the morning. This unwillingness on the part of his young men arose from their extreme anxiety to hunt the bisons, that were at this time unusually near; an enjoyment which they would on no account relinquish. He likewise regretted that he was at present so circumstanced as to be unable to comply with his wishes by visiting our camp. "But," said Clermont, "if your chief will visit me at my camp, which will be established near yours in the evening, I will treat him well; I will present him with as much maize and dried meat as he wants. I will, moreover, furnish him with young men to serve as guides, and a horse or two if he wants them, to aid in the transportation of the baggage." Lieutenant Swift assured him that we were much in want of such assistance as he had proffered, and that on our arrival at Belle Point his generosity should be { 105} requited; but the chief declared his indifference to any recompence for such services. Mr. Swift further learned that the deserters, during their short stay at the village, had traded freely for provisions with the trinkets they found in our saddle bags; and although dressed in our clothing, they appeared to imagine themselves suspected to be not what they seemed. This idea was in truth well-founded; for the Indians observing that they retained their guns constantly within their grasp, even when partaking of the hospitality of the different lodges, believed them to have committed some crime or outrage, in consequence of which they regarded themselves as unsafe in any asylum.