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

;1673.] THE ARKANSAS. 73ear.By good luck, there was a young Indian in thevillage, who had an excellent knowledge of Illinoisand through him Marquette endeavored to explainthe mysteries of Christianity, and to gain informationconcerning the river below. To this end he gave hisauditors the presents indispensable on such occasions,but received very little in return. They told himthat theMississippi was infested by hostile Indians,armed with guns procured from white men ;they, the Arkansas, stood inand thatsuch fear of them thatthey dared not hunt the buffalo, but were forced tolive on Indian corn, of which they raisedftyear.three cropsDuring the speeches on either side, food wasbrought in without ceasing, — sometimes a platter ofsagamite or mush ;sometimes of corn boiled whole jsometimes a roasted dog. The villagers had largeearthen pots and platters, made by themselves withtolerable skill,as well as hatchets, knives, and beads,gained by traffic with the Illinois and other tribes incontact with the French or Spaniards.All day therewas feasting without respite, after the mercilesspractice of Indian hospitality; but at night some oftheir entertainers proposed to kill and plunder them,— a scheme which was defeated by the vigilance ofthe chief, who visited their quarters, and danced thecalumet dance to reassure his guests.The travellers now held counsel as to what coursethey should take. They had gone far enough, asthey thought, to establish one important point, —