deniq] THE ASSINIBOIN 589 



Mounted \V armor's Dress 



Buffalo robe painted with battle scenes and garnished with porcupine 



quills; best; 6 robes $18.00 



Skin shirt and leggings garnished with human hair and porcupine quills, 



valued at 1 horse or 10 robes 30.00 



War-eagle feather cap. largest kind; price, 2 horses, 10 robes each „_ 60.00 



Necklace of bear's claws wrought mi otter skin. 6 robes IS. 00 



Feathers of the war eagle <>n shield, lance, and horse, 10 robes 30.00 



Garnished moccasins. 1 robe 3.00 



Shell ear ornaments, 4 robes 12.00 



Total 171.00 



Another fancy dress would cost as follows : 



Scarlet blanket, 4 robes, at $3 $12.00 



Beads on same, 10 robes 30.00 



Skin shirt and leggings garnished with porcupine quills and trimmed 



with ermine, 20 robes 60.00 



Bear's-claw necklace. 6 robes 18.00 



Soldier's cap of magpie feathers, tipped with red and fringed with 



ermine, 10 robes 30.00 



Brass-wire arm bands, 3 robes 9. 00 



Eagle feathers on lance and shield, 6 robes 18.00 



Shell ear ornaments and moccasins, 4 robes 12.00 



Total 189.00 



Both of the above dresses are principally of their own manufac- 

 ture; yet if a trader wishes to purchase them he has great difficulty 

 in doing so, even by paying the above prices in merchandise, of 

 which they always stand in need ; indeed, they seldom can be induced 

 to part with them on any terms unless forced to sell to supply some 

 reverse by loss of property which has happened to their families. 

 The reason is that they are scarce, difficult to replace, and also it is 

 the wish of the warriors to wear them during their lives on all public 

 occasions and to be clothed with them when they die. Two tails of 

 the war eagle of 12 feathers each would be worth two horses if 

 wrought into a cap, or something more than a horse without. 

 Usually the value of the tail feathers of this bird among any of the 

 tribes of whom we write is $2 each in merchandise in this country, or 

 15 feathers for a horse. 



Ten ermine skins will also bring a horse among the Crow Indians, 

 and 100 elk teeth are worth as much, there being but two teeth in 

 each elk which are suitable, and the tail feathers of the war eagle 

 are the only ones used. The elk are not killed in great numbers by 

 any one hunter, so that much time and bargaining are required for 

 an individual to collect 300, the number usually wrought on a Crow 

 womairs dress. The eagles are scarce and difficult to catch; hence 

 the value of these two ornaments. 



