TWENTY YEARS IN THE ROCKIES. 199 



The next day I saw game in the distance, running as 

 though in fright, and this gave me some uneasiness,, as I 

 suspected Indians to be in the vicinity perhaps the blood- 

 thirsty Sioux, against whom I had been warned. I began 

 making all preparations in my power to make, in case of an 

 attack, and arranged my bundles of robes to be used as 

 breastworks. A few miles farther on many Indian tepees 

 could be seen in a large body of timber along the river. I 

 soon discovered the Indians were Crows, and, much relieved, 

 I approached them without hesitation. The warriors seemed 

 to be holding a troubled council. 



Attracted by my boat, warriors, squaws and papooses as- 

 sembled on the river bank,* all crying out, "How ! how !" A 

 little girl crawled out to the end of a log, extending far over 

 the water, and sat there, her bead-like eyes glistening like 

 diamonds, while her guardians seemed to have no fears for 

 her safety. I secured my boat and soon learned that their 

 gloomy looks were caused by a rumor that a large party of 

 Sioux were coming from the south, and they feared they 

 would steal their ponies, even if no further harm were in- 

 tended. 



A number of squaws gathered around me and asked 

 where I was going. I replied that I was going to the great 

 Father of Waters, beyond the rising sun. They said my boat 

 was too small to sail in such great waters, but I assured them 

 the Great Spirit was with me, which statement excited a gen- 

 eral laugh, one making bold to say that I would lose my 

 scalp before I got through the Sioux country. I distributed 

 some trifling gifts among them and bade them farewell. An 

 old chief hallooed after me, to say if I saw any Indians with- 

 out tepees, I might know they were Sioux. 



About ten o'clock next day, as I was urging my boat 

 through a rough rapid, I saw about four hundred yards 



