GLIMPSES OF INDIAN SOCIAL LIFE. 229 



Medal, nodded his head and grinned continually. Certainly 

 we succeeded in attaining our chief object, that of establish- 

 ing a friendly feeling towards us on the part of the Utes, and 

 at the same time avoided the making of presents, which 

 Indians would to a certainty have considered tribute, and a 

 proof we were afraid of them, and only required to be 

 " crowded " to give them all we had. 



We saw a good deal of these Indians while we remained 

 in the valley, continually exchanging visits and joining, 

 by invitation, in several of their game-drives. My inter- 

 course with them served to strengthen an opinion I had 

 previously formed, and since abundantly confirmed, viz., 

 that to represent the American indigene as an unim- 

 passioned, mirthless, solemn being is incorrect. I have 

 had many and unusual opportunities of studying the social 

 life of several tribes I do not here allude to the border 

 Indians, who have acquired most of the vices and few, if 

 any, of the virtues of civilisation, but to the unmitigated 

 savage and am satisfied that such an appearance on his 

 part is only a mask. It is the Indian's idea of manifesting 

 the dignity and politeness necessary to be observed before 

 adversaries or strangers, and with each other on official 

 or important occasions. Amongst themselves, in ordinary 

 social intercourse, I have, when sufficiently known for my 

 presence to have ceased to be a cause of restraint, always 

 found them to be more like a pack of children than grown- 

 up people. I have often seen a lot of as cruel and blood- 

 thirsty savages as ever "raised hair" laughing, talking, 

 squabbling, and joking, over one of their queer round 

 games, with as great animation, and making as much 



