338 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Powder, Shot, Guns, Cloth, Beads, &c. He made little answer: only 
said that it was far off, & they could not paddle. Then they entered 
upon indifferent subjects until we were ordered to depart to our tents, 
which were pitched about a full quarter of a Mile without their lines. 
15. Tuesday. Froze a little last night. Our women employed 
dressing Beaver skins for cloathing. About 10 o’clock A.M. I was 
invited to the Archithinue Leader’s tent: when by an interpreter I told 
him what I was sent for, & desired of him to allow some of his young 
men to go down to the Fort with me, where they would be kindly re- 
ceived, and get Guns &c. But he answered, it was far off, & they could 
not live without Buffalo flesh; and that they could not leave their horses 
&c: and many other obstacles, though all might be got over if they were 
acquainted with a Canoe, and could eat Fish, which they never do. The 
Chief further said they never wanted food, as they followed the Buffalo 
& killed them with the Bows and Arrows; and he was informed the 
Natives that frequented the Settlements, were oftentimes starved on 
their journey.t Such remarks I thought exceeding true. He made me 
a present of a handsome Bow & Arrows, & in return I gave him a part 
of each kinds of goods I had, as ordered by Mr. Isham’s written instruc- 
tions. I departed and took a view of the camp. Their tents were pitched 
close to one another in two regular lines, which formed a broad street 
open at both ends. Their horses are turned out to grass, their legs being 
fettered: and when wanted, are fastened to lines cut of Buffalo skin, 
that stretches along & is fastened to stakes drove in the ground. They 
have hair halters, Buffalo skin pads, & stirrups of the same. The horses 
are fine tractible animals, about 14 hands high; lively and clean made. 
The Natives are good Horsemen, & kill the Buffalo on them. These 
Natives are drest much the same as others; but more clean & sprightly. 
They think nothing of my tobacco; & I set as little value on theirs: 
1 This native philosophy may be matched with the eloquent reply recorded 
of a Mandan Indian, in Charles Mackenzie’s Missouri Journal (Masson’s 
“ Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest,” I, 331); “ White people do not 
know how to live,” said this shrewd Mandan, they leave their houses in small 
parties, they risk their lives on the great waters, among strange nations who 
willtake them for enemies. What is the use of beaver? Do they make gun- 
powder of them? Do they preserve them from sickness? Do they serve 
them beyond thie grave?” ‘“ We are no Slaves!” continued the Chief. “ Our 
fathers were not Slaves! In my young days there were no white people, 
and we knew no wants; we were successful in war; our arrows were 
mortal; our villages rejoiced when the men returned from war, for of the 
scalps of our enemies they brought many. The white people came; they 
brought with them some good; but they brought the small-pox; and they 
brought evil liquors; the Indians’ since diminish, and they are no longer 
happy.” 
