tribes of the barren plains of the South[.] However the cool reception at the Mississourie might be ascribed perhaps to themselves for their extreme negligence of Dress[.] "They were not like the rich man cloathed in purple and fine linnen nor did they live every day in Spendour[.]" M^r Henry soon became disgusted and kept at a distance from the Indians – M^r Chabolillez took things as they came[.] He took his seat among the crowd or remained alone – Smoked the pipe in his turn, or a part and seemed as much at his ease in the Hut of an Indian – as in the hall of his own Fort[.]

About noon the following day a Message came for the Borgne requiring the immediate attendance of all the Indians of the Mississourie Villages at the Shayann Camp[.] The necessary preparations having been made – next morning we all assembled on the Hill behind our Village[.] The Indians were dressed in their best manner – marched with Colours flying – Drums beating and singing of war songs[.] The uniformity and regularity of their assembly astonished some of our Gentlemen – who readily acknowledged that they never dreamed of seeing such proceedings among Savages[.] The men were formed into squares of Sixty four[.] There were eleven of these squares – making the number of warriors exceed Seven hundred Strong so that about Three hundred were missing[.]

That

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