108 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



originally entered this part of the country under the protection of 

 the Crees, and in concert with them attacked and drove to the west- 

 ward the former inhabitants of the banks of the Saskatchawan. 

 They are still the allies of the Crees, but have now become more 

 numerous than their former protectors. They exhibit all the bad 

 qualities ascribed to the Mengwe or Iroquois, the stock from whence 

 they are sprung. Of their actual number I could obtain no precise 

 information, but it is very great. The Crees, who inhabit the plains, 

 being fur hunters are better known to the traders. 



" They are divided into two distinct bands, the Ammisk-watche6- 

 thinyoowuc or Beaver Hill Crees, who have about forty tents, and 

 the Sackawee-thinyoowuc, or Thick Wood Crees, who have thirty- 

 five. The tents average nearly ten inmates each, which gives a 

 population of seven hundred and fifty to the whole. 



" The nations who were driven to the westward by the Eascab 

 and Crees are termed, in general, by the latter, Yatchee-thin- 

 yoowuc, which has been translated Slave Indians, but more properly 

 signifies Strangers. 



" They now inhabit the country around Fort Augustus, and 

 towards the foot of the rocky mountains, and have increased in 

 strength until they have become an object of terror to the Eascab 

 themselves. They rear a great number of horses, make use of fire- 

 arms, and are fond of European articles ; in order to purchase which 

 they hunt beaver and other furred animals, but they depend prin- 

 cipally on the buffalo for subsistence. 



" They are divided into five nations :— First, the Paw'austic- 

 ey thin-yoowuc, or Fall Indians, so named from their former residence 

 on the falls of the Saskatchawan. They are the Minetarres, with 

 whom Captain Lewis's party had a conflict on their return from the 

 Missouri. They have about four hundred and fifty or five hundred 

 tents ; their language is very guttural and difficult. 



" Second, the Peganoo-eythinyoowuc Pegans, or Muddy Kiver 



