having both removed there with their families:  these reports we did not fail to disprove to their entire satisfaction, and amused them by every attention, particularly by the dancing of the men which diverted them highly.  All the Indians whom captain Lewis had visited were very well disposed, and received him with great kindness, except a principal chief of one of the upper villages, named Mabpahpaparapassatoo or Horned Weasel, who made use of the civilized indecorum of refusing to be seen, and when captain Lewis called he was told the chief was not at home.  In the course of the day seven of the northwest company’s traders arrived from the Assiniboin river, and one of their interpreters having undertaken to circulate among the Indians unfavourable reports, it become necessary to warn them of the consequences if they did not desist from such proceedings.  The river fell two inches to-day and the weather became very cold.

Wednesday 28.  About eight o’clock last evening it began to snow and continued till daybreak, after which it ceased till seven o’clock, but then resumed and continued during the day, the weather being cold and the river full of floating ice:  about eight o’clock Poscopsahe came down to visit us, with some warriors; we gave them presents and entertained them with all that might amuse their curiosity, and at parting we told them that we had heard of the British trader, Mr. Laroche, having attempted to distribute medals and flags among them, but that those emblems could not be received from any other than the American nation without incurring the displeasure of their great father the president.  They left us much pleased with their treatment.  The river fell one inch to-day.

Thursday 29.  The wind is again from the northwest, the weather cold, and the snow which fell yesterday and this night is thirteen inches in depth.  The river closed during the night at the village above, and fell two feet; but this afternoon it began to rise a little.  Mr. Laroche, the principal of the seven traders, came with one of his men to see us; we told him that we should not permit him to give medals and flags to the Indians; he declared that he had no such intention, and we then suffered him to make use of one of our interpreters, on his stipulating not to touch any subject but that of his traffic with them.  An unfortunate accident occurred to sergeant Pryor, who in taking down the boat’s mast dislocated his shoulder, nor was it till after four trials that we replaced it.

Friday 30.  About eight o’clock an Indian came to the opposite bank of the river, calling out that he had something important to communicate, and on sending for him, he told us that five Mandans had been met about eight leagues to the southwest by a party of Sioux, who had killed one of them, wounded two, and taken nine horses; that four of the Wattasoons were missing, and that the Mandans expected an attack.  We thought this an excellent opportunity to discountenance