54 A CALIFORNIA TRAMP. 



I did not remain long, driven out less by the cool reception 

 I met with than by the rank odor that pervaded the lodges. 

 The " Indian smell," which impregnates everything they have 

 around them, is peculiarly disagreeable ; wild animals are 

 particularly sensitive to it and are thrown into the keenest 

 alarm when it is within " nose-shot." Our visits were returned 

 by the Indians with interest, lord and vassal crowding around 

 our campfires, either for the purpose of showing their friend- 

 ship or stealing bacon (which they all have a failing for), I 

 don't know which. The captains or chiefs would not con- 

 descend to notice any but the officers of the train. Squatted 

 around in a circle, the pipe of peace was passed around with 

 great ceremony by the worthy council formed by the officers 

 and the swarthy " chieftains brave and bold." It was amusing 

 to see the Indians drawing the essence from the narcotic 

 stowed away in the bowls of their curiously fashioned pipes. 

 Putting the stems to their lips with all the gravity imaginable 

 they would fill their mouths w^ith smoke, which they would 

 slowly exhale through their well-schooled nostrils, as if bent 

 on extracting all the good qualities it contained from it. 

 While this extempore council was engaged in its solemn 

 sitting, the remaining Indians were lounging around our 

 messes, begging and stealing whenever they were unobserved. 

 One of our wagons being broken down, we were obliged to 

 repair it here. After taking out the freight, part of which was 

 composed of crackers destined for Laramie, we found the bot- 

 tom of the body covered with crumbs, mixed with about an 

 equal proportion of dirt. Calling up the squaws and children, 

 who came flocking around like so many hens and chickens, 

 we commenced scattering this rather dubious manna over the 

 ground. Hardl}^ had the mixture reached the earth ere it 

 was surrounded by a group of " anxious seekers," who gobbled 

 it up instanter, and then watched eagerly to see where the 

 next supply would fall. To see this agile pack of wretches 



