14 PAWNEES. 



^e ])anks of a stream. They always build thus both for 

 the purpose of a supply of water aud wood, which grows 

 only upon the banks of streams in their country. The vil- 

 lage where they resided when we were there, was situated 

 on a high bank of the south fi)rk of the river Platte. This 

 is a wide shallow stream, generally exceeding a half mile 

 in Avidth, almost alwa^^s fordable. The only obstacle being 

 found in the bottom Avhich is a sort of (]uicksaiid, and the 

 current of the stream is constantly changing, and often to 

 ford it, it is necessary to follow a sand bar in the middle 

 of the stream some distance up or down in order to get 

 across. If we go out to the bank we may see people 

 crossiuir on foot, the women generallv loaded with a l)ur- 

 den upon the shoulders or head. These l)urdens are loads 

 of wood or ha}' on poles for their buildings. The men will 

 be more likelv to be ridinjr on horseback. The women are 

 hewers of wood and carriers of water. An Indian woman's 

 lot is a hard one. If there is any drudgery to be done, it 

 must be done l)y the women. She builds the house, cuts 

 and backs up the wood, digs up the ground, plants, 

 hoes, and gathers in the corn, dresses the meat, robes and 

 skins, packs and unpacks, saddles and unsaddles horses. 

 A\'hen the man rides the woman generally walks and car- 

 ries a lariri' Ijurden besides. If we look across the stream, 

 we see them coming home or going out, and i)robably the 

 distance, Ijy the way they travel, a mile or more, and yet 

 we can see women laden with a l)urden of wood, which one 

 might suppose would break their backs, oftentimes up to 

 their middles in water and sand, and this is the enjoyment 

 women have in savage life. We have heard of their 

 amusements. Is there any thing to alleviate their hard- 

 ships ? The women seem to have no amusements unless it 

 be to get together and dance around the scalps of their 

 enemy, aud it is not much better mth the men. They 

 have more leisure, it is true, but it is doubtful whether 

 they have more enjo^iuent. Their amusements consist 

 principally in gambling by themselves, and in the war and 

 medicine dance. They have no amusements fitted to ele- 



