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

1680.] CAPTURED BY THE SIOUX. 251the travellers raised a hideous clamor; and, someleaping ashore and others into the water, they surroundedthe astonished Frenchmen in an instant. 1Hennepin held out the peace-pipe ; but one of themsnatched it from him. Next, he hastened to proffera gift of Martinique tobacco, which was betterreceived. Some of the old warriors repeated thename Miamiha, giving him to understand that theywere a war-party, on the way to attack the Miamison which, Hennepin, with the help of signs and ofmarks which he drew on the sand with a stick,explained that the Miamis had gone across theMississippi, beyond their reach. Hereupon, he saysthat three or four oldhead, and began a dismal wailing;men placed their hands on hiswhile he with hishandkerchief wiped away their tears, in order toevince sympathy with their affliction,from whatevercause arising. Notwithstanding this demonstrationoftenderness, they refused to smoke with him in hispeace-pipe, and forced him and his companions toembark and paddle across the river; while they allfollowed behind, uttering yellsand howlings whichfroze the missionary's blood.On reaching the farther side, they made theircamp-fires, and allowed their prisoners to do thesame. Accau and Du Gay slung their kettle ; whilei The edition of 1683 says that there were thirty-three canoes:that of 1697 raises the number to fifty. The number of Indians isthe same in both. The later narrative is more in detail than theformer.;