MAIN CHAIN OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 283 



day and night, without intermission, — the devotees meanwhile neither 

 eating nor drinking. So exhausted were they, that at times, they fell from 

 effects of weakness and fatigue. 



Some of their performances savored much of Hindoo origin. Those 

 wishing to be thought particularly good, attested their piety by cutting 

 themselves in various places, — and, yet others, by drawing after them the 

 heads of buffalo fastened upon hooks inserted in their own flesh. As 

 the exercises were about to close, an offering of blankets, robes, beads, 

 tobacco, &c., was made to the Good Spirit, after which the crowd dis- 

 persed. 



Their object appeared to be a threefold one, viz : to do penance for sin, to 

 thank the Author of Good for past favors, and to implore a continuance of 

 His beneficence for the future. 



The head around which they danced was evidently not the object of 

 their veneration, but was placed there simply to remind them that, as the 

 buffalo constituted their principal sustenance, the Good Being should be 

 more especially adored on its account. 



A number of articles having disappeared from the Fort rather myste- 

 riously, suspicion was fastened upon an Indian for appropriating them in 

 the usual way. He was accordingly charged with the theft, but strongly 

 affirmed his innocence, and, to place the matter beyond doubt, took an oath 

 in attestation of his words. The ceremony observed was as follows : 



Taking his bow, he selected the stoutest of his arrows, and, holding it 

 in his right hand, pointed successively to the sky, the ground, and his own 

 heart; then, kissing the bow, he again protested his innocence. This 

 being considered satisfactory, he was honorably acquitted of the charge. 



An Indian is rarely known either to violate his oath or to swear falsely, 

 as in such a case he would be looked upon as being irrecoverably exposed to 

 the immediate wrath of heaven and the vengeance of man. The import of 

 this ceremony may be expressed in these words : " Thou who dwellest in the 

 air and earth, receive from me this arrow, and with this bow plunge it to 

 my heart, if I do not speak the truth!" I leave the reader to judge in 

 regard to the binding nature of its obligations. 



Sept. 25lh. Having purchased a horse for the purpose, I proceeded to 

 the mountains on a hunting excursion, where, unattended by any one, I 

 had a further opportunity of testing the varied sweets of solitude. 



My course lay directly west some eight miles to Soublet's creek, a con- 

 siderable affluent of the Platte, heading at the base of Long's Peak, — 

 thence, continuing up its right hand branch, I penetrated into the moun- 

 tains, on the second day, a distance of several miles and camped. One of 

 the passes to Grand river, v^-hich is generally thought much the nearest 

 route, leads up this branch. 



The interval from the 27th to the 30th was devoted to exploration, and 

 I ascended the main chain of the mountains left of Long's Peak. The 

 usual height of this ridge is about ten thousand feet, upon which the 

 stern chambers of deathless winter are repeatedly exposed to the eye. 



The mountains and creeks were well timbered, — the former with pine, 

 cedar, and balsam, and the latter with cottonwood, aspen, and boy-eider. 



