18th
Nov. Sunday 1804—
a cold morning Some wind the Black Cat,
Chief of the
Mandans came to see us, he made great inquiries respecting
our fashions, he also Stated the Situation of their nation,
he
mentioned that a Council had been held the day before
and it was thought
advisable to put up with the resent insults
of the Ossiniboins &
Christinoes untill they were convinced
that what had been told them by us
[was true—Ed.],
Mr.
Evins had deceived them & we might also, he promised
to return &
furnish them with guns & amunition, we advised
them to remain at peace
& that they might depend upon
Getting Supplies through the Channel of
the Missourie, but
it required time to put the trade in opperation. The
Ossiniboins
&c. have the trade of those
nations in their power and
treat them badly, as the Soux does the Ricarees,[23]
and they cannot
resent,
for fear of loseing their trade.
