490 ANNUAL REGISTER, ] 816. 



procured fi'om the Spaniartls, but 

 they now laise their own. The 

 horses are generally veiy fine, of 

 a good size, vigorous, and patient 

 of fatigue as well as hunger. 

 Each warrior has one or two tied 

 to a stake near his hut both day 

 and nightj so as to be always pre- 

 pared for action. The mules are 

 obtained in the course of trade 

 from the Spaniards, with whose 

 brand several of them aie mark- 

 ed, or stolen from them by the 

 frontier Indians. They are the 

 finest animals of that kind we 

 have ever seen, and at this dis- 

 tance from the Spanish colonies 

 are very highly valued. The 

 worst are considered as worth the 

 price of two horses, and a good 

 mule cannot be obtained for less 

 than three and sometimes four 

 horses. 



We also saw a bridle bit, stir- 

 rups, and several other articles 

 which, like the mules, came from 

 the Spanish coloi.ies. The Shos- 

 honees say that they can reach 

 those settlements in ten days' 

 march by the route of the Yellow- 

 stone river; but we readily per- 

 ceive that the Spaniards are by 

 no means favourites. They com- 

 plain that the, Spaniarils refuse to 

 let them ha\e tire-arms, inider- 

 pretence that these dangerous 

 weapons will only induce them to 

 kill each other. In the mean 

 time, say the Shoshonees, we are 

 left to the mercy of the Minneta- 

 rees, who having arms, plunder 

 them of their horses, and put 

 them to deatii without mercv. 

 " But this should not be," said 

 Cameahwait fiercely; " if we had 

 guns, instead of hiding ourselves 

 in the mountains and living like 

 the bears on roots and berries, we 



would then go down and live in 

 the buffaloe country in spite of 

 our enemies, whom we never 

 fear when we meet on equal 

 terms." 



As war is the chief occupation, 

 bra\ery is the first virtue among 

 the Shoshonees. None can hope 

 to he distinguished without hav- 

 ing given proofs of it, nor can 

 there be any pieferment, or in- 

 fluence among the nation, with- 

 out some warlike achievement. 

 Those imp-ortant events u hich 

 give reputation to a warrior, and 

 which entitle him to a new name, 

 are, killing a white bear, stealing 

 individually the horses of the ene- 

 my, leading out a party who hap- 

 pen to be succe.-sful either in 

 plundering horses or destroying 

 the enemy, and, lastly, scalping a 

 warrior. These acts seem nearly 

 of equal dignity, but tlie last, that 

 of taking an enemy's scalp, is an 

 honour quite independent of the 

 act of vanquishing him. To kill 

 your adversary is of no import- 

 ance unless the scalp is brought 

 from the field of battle; and were 

 a warrior to slay any number of 

 his enemies in action, and others 

 were to obtain the scalps or fiist 

 touch the dead, they would have 

 all the honours, since they have 

 borne oif the trophy. 



Although thus oppressed by the 

 Minnetarees, the Shoshonees are 

 still a very military people. Their 

 cold and rugged country inures 

 them to fatigue ; their long ab- 

 stinence makes them support the 

 dangers of mountain warfare, and 

 worn down as we saw them, by 

 want of sustenance, have a look 

 of fierce and adventurous courage. 

 The Shoshonee warrior always 

 fights on horseback ; he possesses 



a few 



