La Salle and the discovery of the great West - North Central ...

T2 THE DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI. [167athey had reason to expect. One of the Indiansspoke a little Illinois, and served as interpreter; afriendly conference was followed by a feastof sagamiteand fish; and the travellers, not without soremisgivings, spent the night in the lodges of theirentertainers. 1Early in the morning, they embarked again, andproceeded to a village of the Arkansas tribe, abouteight leagues below. Notice of their coming wassent before them by their late hosts; and as theydrew near they were met by a canoe, inthe prow ofwhich stood a naked personage, holding a calumet,singing, and making gestures of friendship. Onreaching the village, which was on the east side, 2opposite the mouth of the riverArkansas, they wereconducted to a sort of scaffold, before the lodge ofthe war-chief. The space beneath had been preparedfor their reception, theground being neatly coveredwith rush mats. On these they were seated; thewarriors sat around them in a semi-circle; then theelders of the tribe ;and then the promiscuous crowdof villagers, standing, and staring over the heads ofthe more dignified members of the assembly. Allthe men were naked ;but, to compensate for the lackof clothing, they wore strings of beads in their nosesand ears.The women were clothed in shabby skins,and wore their hair clumped in a mass behind each1Thi§ village, called " Mitchigamea," is represented on severalcontemporary maps.2 A few years later, the Arkansas were all on the west side.