the Sioux frequently make excursions to steal horses.  As their conduct displeased as, we gave them nothing.  At six we reached an island about one mile in length, at the head of which is a Mandan village on the north in ruins, and two miles beyond a bad sandbar.  At eight miles are remains of another Mandan village on the south; and at twelve miles encamped on the south.  The hunters brought in a buffaloe bull, and mentioned that of about three hundred which they had seen, there was not a single female.  The beaver is here in plenty, and the two Frenchmen who are returning with us catch several every night.

These villages which are nine in number are scattered along each side of the river within a space of twenty miles; almost all that remains of them is the wall which surrounded them, the fallen heaps of earth which covered the houses, and occasionally human skulls and the teeth and bones of men, and different animals, which are scattered on the surface of the ground.

Tuesday 23.  The weather was cloudy and we had some snow; we soon arrived at five lodges where the two Frenchmen had been robbed, but the Indians had left it lately as we found the fires still burning.  The country consists as usual of timbered low grounds, with grapes, rushes, and great quantities of a small red acid fruit, known among the Indians by a name signifying rabbitberries, and called by the French graisse de buffle or buffaloe fat.  The river too, is obstructed by many sandbars.  At twelve miles we passed an old village on the north, which was the former residence of the Ahnahaways who now live between the Mandans and Minnetarees.  After making thirteen miles we encamped on the south.

Wednesday 24.  The day was again dark and it snowed a little in the morning.  At three miles we came to a point on the south, where the river by forcing a channel across a former bend has formed a large island on the north.  On this island we found one of the grand chiefs of the Mandans, who with five lodges was on a hunting excursion.  He met his enemy the Ricara chief, with great ceremony and apparent cordiality, and smoked with him.  After visiting his lodges, the grand chief and his brother came on board our boat for a short time; we then proceeded and encamped on the north, at seven miles from our last night’s station and below the old village of the Mandans and Ricaras.  Here four Mandans came down from a camp above, and our Ricara chief returned with them to their camp, from which we auger favourably of their pacific views towards each other.  The land is low and beautiful, and covered with oak and cottonwood, but has been too recently hunted to afford much game.