they offered me; I gave them in return some coffee and sugar, very scarce articles in that country.
A simple grave, but remarkable for him whom it contains, appeared in sight on the 16th. It draws the attention of all travelers upon the Upper Missouri, and gives occasion for many cruel and terrible Indian anecdotes. It is the grave of Blackbird, head chief of the Omahas, renowned for the ascendancy which he had acquired over his tribe and the neighboring nations; but even more for the cruelties he practiced to reach the supreme power.'
On the 18th we found ourselves within view of the old Council Bluffs, which was once a great military post. Since my last voyage in 1842, the river has made considerable changes here, and has dug itself a new bed in various places. Council Bluffs, which was then on the edge of the river, is now more than three miles from it. During the day we saw the ruins of several old trading-houses. Not far from there, in a vast and beautiful plain, is a temporary establishment of the Mormons, driven out from their city of Nauvoo on the Mississippi, there are more than 1o,ooo of them here. I was introduced to their president, Mr. Young, an affable and very polite gentleman. He pressed me very earnestly to remain a few days, an invitation which my limited time did not permit me to accept. The unheard-of persecutions and atrocious sufferings endured by these unhappy people will furnish a sad page to the history of the great valley of the West. Sunset of this same day found me encamped in the upper Potawatomi country [at Sarpy's trading post]. There I met several of my old friends and neophytes, among them the chief Patakojec, who told me the long legend of the ideas and religious traditions of the Potawatomies. It shall furnish matter for my next letter.
The loth, 21 st and 22d were fine days. I visited my old
7 Here Father De Smet repeats the story of Blackbird, as given in his letter of 1838. See Lewis & Clark, Aug. io, 18o4; Long, Vol. I, p. ao4; Catlin, Vol. II, p. 5; Astoria, Chap. XVI; Cooke, Scenes & Adv., Chap. XVIII.