ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 33 



The canoes used by the Indians are mostly made of buflalo 

 skins, stretched, while recent, over a light frame work of wood, 

 the seams sewed with sinews, and so closely, as to be wholly 

 impervious to water. These light vessels are remarkably 

 buoyant, and capable of sustaining very heavy burthens. 



In the evening the principal Kanzas chief paid us a visit in 

 our tent. He is a young man about twenty-five years of age, 

 straight as a poplar, and with a noble countenance and bearing, 

 but he appeared to me to be marvellously deficient in most of the 

 requisites which go to make the character of a real Indian chief, 

 at least of such Indian chiefs as we read of in our popular books. 

 I begin to suspect, in truth, that these lofty and dignified attributes 

 are more apt to exist in the fertile brain of the novelist, than in 

 reality. Be this as it may, our chief is a very lively, laughing, 

 and rather playful personage ; perhaps he may put on his dignity, 

 like a glove, when it suits his convenience. 



We remained in camp the whole of next day, and traded with 

 tlic Indians for 'a considerable number of robes, apishemeaus, 

 and halter ropes of hide. Our fat bacon and tobacco were in 

 sreat demand for these useful commodities. 



The Kaws living here appear to be much more wealthy than 

 those who joined our camp on the prairie below. They are in 

 better condition, more richly dressed, cleaner, and more com- 

 fortable than their wandering brothers. The men have gene- 

 rally fine countenances, but all the women that I have seen are 

 homely. I cannot admire them. Their dress consists, univer- 

 sally of deer skin leggings, belted around the loins, and over 

 the upper part of the body a buffalo robe or blanket. 



On the 20th in the morning, we packed our horses and rode 

 out of the Kaw settlement, leaving the river immediately, and 

 making a N. W. by W. course — and the next day came to an- 

 other village of the same tribe, consisting of about thirty lodges, 



and situated in the midst of a beautiful level prairie. 



5 



