Whenever the Ricaras pass these sacred stones, they stop to make some offering of dress to propitiate these deities.

Such is the account given by the Ricara chief, which we had no mode of examining, except that we found one part of the story very agreeably confirmed; for on the river near where the event is said to have occurred we found a greater abundance of fine grapes than we had yet seen." While at their last camp in the country now known as South Dakota, October 14, 1804, one of the soldiers, tried by a court-martial for mutinous conduct, was sentenced to receive seventy-five lashes on the bare back.

The sentence was carried out then and there.

The Rickaree chief, who accompanied the party for a time, was so affected by the sight that he cried aloud during the whole proceeding.

When the reasons for the punishment were explained to him, he acknowledged the justice of the sentence, but said he would have punished the offender with death.