INDIAN TRIBES, 275 



vicinity was regarded by him as dangerous. But 

 experience had taught me that the tribes of the 

 north are much less to be feared than those of the 

 southern plains. 



Horse-Indians, Timber-Indians, and Fish-Indians 

 are designations which will explain the various 

 leading characteristics of the aborigines of North 

 America. The first are the most treacherous, the 

 second the most skilful hunters, and the third the 

 most improvident, squalid, and filthy, although all 

 are dirty enough. The Horse-Indians reside on the 

 great plains extending for over a thousand miles of 

 latitude to the north of Mexico and Texas. The 

 Timber-Indians, who have suffered more than any 

 others by the advent of the white man into the 

 western continent, inhabited at one time all the 

 forest-lands from the Atlantic to the verge of the 

 great plains. The Fish-Indians, who even at the 

 present day are sparsely supplied with fire-arms, re- 

 side principally in the vicinity of those rivers that flow 

 into the Pacific or Arctic Ocean and produce salmon. 

 The first-mentioned are indifferent walkers, from 

 passing their lives on horseback ; are small in stature 

 and badly formed, are invariably treacherous and 

 bloodthirsty. The Timber-Indian is well made, 

 straight as a lath, noble in carriage, capable of 

 performing long and rapid journeys on foot. They 

 have often handsome features, and are honourable 

 and brave, but revengeful. The Fish-Indians are 

 unprepossessing, debased, and cowardly ; inferior to 



