82 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [ BULL. 77 
years the country about the headwaters of the Missouri, formerly 
lived farther north, and about the close of the eighteenth century were 
encountered near the Saskatchewan, neighbors of the Assiniboin and 
Cree. About the year 1790 Mackenzie traversed the country, and 
wrote, regarding the number and distribution of the tribes then claim- 
ing that northern region: “At Nepawi, and South-Branch House, 
about thirty tents of Knisteneaux, or ninety warriors; and sixty tents 
of Stone-Indians, or Assiniboins, who are their neighbors, and are 
equal to two hundred men; their hunting ground extends upwards 
to about Eagle Hills. Next to them are those who trade at Forts 
George and Augustus, and are about eighty tents or upwards of 
Knisteneaux: on either side of the river, their number may be two 
hundred. In the same country are one hundred and forty tents of 
Stone-Indians; not quite half of them inhabit the West woody coun- 
try; the others never leave the plains, and their numbers cannot be 
less than four hundred and fifty men. At the Southern headwaters 
of the North branch dwells a tribe called Sarsees, consisting of about 
thirty-five tents, or one hundred and twenty men. Opposite to those 
Eastward, on the head-waters of the South Branch, are the Picaneaux, 
to the number of from twelve to fifteen hundred men. Next to them, 
on the same water, are the Blood-Indians, of the same nation as the 
last, to the number of about fifty tents, or two hundred and fifty men. 
From them downwards extend the Black-Feet Indians, of the same 
nation as the two last tribes; their number may be eight hundred 
men. Next to them, and who extend to the confluence of the South 
and North branch, are the Fall, or Big-bellied Indians, who may 
amount to about six hundred warriors.” (Mackenzie, (1), p. lxx.) 
“ South-Branch House” of this narrative stood between the north 
and south branches of the Saskatchewan, near the present town of 
Dalmeny, in the Province of Saskatchewan. The Picaneaux, who 
probably possessed from 200 to 300 skin-covered lodges, were the 
Piegan, the Piekann Indians of Maximilian, whose village as it 
appeared in 1833 was painted by Bodmer. Likewise the Fall or Big- 
bellied Indians, whose habitat about the year 1790 was near the junc- 
tion of the two branches of the Saskatchewan, were the Atsina, the 
Gros Ventres of the Prairie, and their village or camp in 1790 was 
probably quite similar to the one visited by Maximilian 43 years 
later, when it was sketched by Bodmer. 
By reason of the roving disposition of the northern tribes, those 
mentioned in the preceding quotations and their neighbors, it was 
not possible for them to erect and maintain permanent villages. The 
skin-covered lodge served as a shelter easily and quickly raised and 
readily transported from place to place as requirements and desires 
made necessary. But many bark-covered structures were probably 
to have been found scattered throughout the wooded sections. 
