He went towards
one of them with a pipe in his hand, and, pushing aside the mat, entered
the lodge, where he found thirty-two persons, chiefly men and women,
with a few children, all in the greatest consternation; some hanging
down their heads, others crying and wringing their hands. He went up
to them, and shook hands with each one in the most friendly manner; but
their apprehensions, which had for a moment subsided, revived on his
taking out a burning-glass, as there was no roof to the house, and
lighting his pipe: he then offered it to several of the men, and
distributed among the women and children some small trinkets which he
had with him, and gradually restored a degree of tranquillity among
them.
"Leaving this house, and directing each of his men to visit a house, he
entered a second. Here he found the inmates more terrified than those in
the first; but he succeeded in pacifying them, and afterward went into
the other houses, where the men had been equally successful. Retiring
from the houses, he seated himself on a rock, and beckoned to some of
the men to come and smoke with him; but none of them ventured to
join him till the canoes arrived with the two chiefs, who immediately
explained our pacific intention towards them. Soon after the
interpreter's wife (Sacajawea) landed, and her presence dissipated all
doubts of our being well-disposed, since in this country no woman
ever accompanies a war party: they therefore all came out, and seemed
perfectly reconciled; nor could we, indeed, blame them for their
terrors, which were perfectly natural.
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