Here they met one of the grand chiefs of the Mandans, who was on a hunting excursion with his braves.

This chief greeted with much ceremony the Rickaree chief who accompanied the exploring party.

The Mandans and Rickarees were ancient enemies, but, following the peaceful councils of the white men, the chiefs professed amity and smoked together the pipe of peace.
A son of the Mandan chief was observed to have lost both of his little fingers, and when the strangers asked how this happened, they were told that the fingers had been cut off (according to the Mandan custom) to show the grief of the young man at the loss of some of his relations..