306 THE WILD TRIBES. 
nament of these tribes; for their only gown 
consists of about a yard and a half of strouding, 
orelse a small dressed skin, suspended from the 
waist, and constituting a sort of primitive petti- 
coat. The upper portion of the body remains 
uncovered, except by a blanket or small skin, 
thrown loosely over the shoulders. The men 
are often without any other vesture than the 
flap, and sometimes a buffalo rug or blanket. 
As the remaining tribes of this intermedi- 
ate class present few or no distinctive charac- 
teristics, we will pass at once to the considera- 
tion of the wild tribes proper of the Great 
Western Prairies.* These neither cultivate 
the soil nor live in fixed villages, but lead a 
roving life in pursuit of plunder and game, 
and without ever submitting themselves to 
that repose—to those fixed habits, which must 
always precede any progress in civilization. 
But as the Comanches are the only tribe of 
these ‘wandering Arabs’ of the Plains which 
* The population of the intermediate tribes is estimated, accord- 
ing to the Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, ier 1842, 
); C 
was, Potawatomies and Ottawas, 2,298; s and Foxes, 2, 348; 3 
Wi ,183; Iowas, 470; ame, "800 : Omahas, 1,6 
and Missouries, 931; Kansas, 1,588 ; Osages, 4,102 ; cake 
sides of Caddoes and Iny es abo ut 500; Wacoes, Witchitas, Towock- 
oes, Towyashes and Keechyes, 1 000; who maintain themselves 
chiefly i in Northern Texas. The wild tribes proper of the Prairies, 
cathy Comanches, consisting of about 10,000 souls; 
z Apaches, 109 ; pahoes, 2,000 ; eters 2,000 
sides many others to the north and west rarely descend 
within the regions to the notice of whi s are confi 
they could — turn out one-fifth of their numbers in canes, 
though this is the usual rule of estimating them by men of Indian 
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