- lages traded corn and beans and dried pumpkins, so
that John proved to be a valuable workman.
William Bratton and Alexander Willard sometimes helped him; and as they were gun-smiths too, they repaired the rifles of the expedition and the few fusils of the Indians.
The weather blew warm, and cold again. There were hunting excursions; and on January 1, 1805, which, Peter learned, was called New Year's, there was another celebration, like that of Christmas.
"Ze Mandan, dey reques' we pay visit to deir village an' show ze squaw an' boys how ze white mans dance," informed Chaboneau, in the morning, after a call from Big White.
So the captains gave permission for Cruzatte and George Gibson to take their violins, and for York and Patrick Gass and a dozen others to go, and entertain the village of Big White.
They trapsed gaily across the river, and in the lodge of Chief Black Cat, who lived at this village, Francois Labiche, one of the boat-men from Cahokia, opposite St. Louis, danced on his head to the music of the two fiddles, and thereby greatly astonished the Indians.
The village rewarded the dancers with buffalo robes and corn; and that evening Head Chief Black Cat brought to the fort another quantity of meat packed on his wife's back.
"Let the white medicine dancers visit my other villages, or there will be jealousy," he urged.
