504 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [eth. ann. 46 



of the whole camp. They refer to them in speaking by mentioning 

 my father- or mother-in-law, as the case may be, or sometimes say 

 " my wife's father," or " her mother." A woman does not mention 

 the individual name of her husband nor he hers, but always say 

 " my husband " or " my wife." Most of the bands being made up of 

 relatives, the terms denoting kindred are in constant use in 

 conversation. 



The hunter state with all these prairie tribes is precarious and un- 

 certain. They are often weeks and months without enough meat and 

 not infrequently reduced to absolute famine. Whenever the buffalo 

 are plenty they have no difficulty in procuring more meat than they 

 can use and then do dry some, but they are very improvident and 

 their small supplies are soon exhausted. 



Indians who have numbers of horses, like the Crows and Sioux, 

 follow the buffalo at all seasons, with their camp, but those who have 

 but few horses, like the Assiniboin, can not follow them through the 

 deep snow. When they are far from their lodges the men go over the 

 snow on snowshoes and pack the hides to camp on dogs. From obser- 

 vation and experience they know that the buffalo approach the timber 

 when the snow is deep on the plains to eat twigs and wild rosebuds. 

 They therefore place their camps along some stream in the com- 

 mencement of the winter and await their approach. None of these 

 nations except the Cree are good elk and deer hunters, consequently 

 their whole dependence is on the buffalo, which, as we have stated, 

 is precarious. Their raiment made of skins is durable, one suit being 

 sufficient for a year, and game is always found in sufficient number 

 to furnish them with garments before they actually need them. 

 There is no distress on this score. Their habits and pursuits, as will 

 be seen through these pages, do not admit of their wearing any other 

 material than that made of skins; except in warm weather and for 

 show on occasions, none other is worn. 



Inasmuch as women are of great advantage to the Indians by their 

 labor, a plurality of wives is required by a good hunter. The do- 

 mestic peace of a family does not suffer much on that account. There 

 are, to be sure, quarrels among the women occasionally, but these gen- 

 erally end in personal abuse and recrimination, or are quelled by the 

 master, if present. 



Upon the whole the domestic arrangement is benefited by having 

 the labor divided, which would be too much for one woman. The 

 Indians, mostly, treat their wives well, but these women require 

 a hard ruler and sometimes they are obliged to strike severely. Jeal- 

 ousies among the women of the same lodge are nothing and do not 

 affect the actions of the man further than to stop the disturbance. 

 But jealousy on the part of the man toward some one of his women 

 supposed to be unfaithful are accompanied by terrible punishments, 



