ASSINIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN INDIANS. 255 



The wood Indians assemble in the spring to celebrate their medi- 

 cine and other notable ceremonies. During the summer they sepa- 

 rate into families or small bands, and hunt, fish or go to the Plains 

 in search of buffalo. At the approach of •winter, they "take debt" 

 or otherwise obtain supplies at the different posts of the Company, 

 and retire to their winter quarters to trap the fur-bearing animals. 

 The Plain or Prairie Indians follow the buffalo, and vary the mono- 

 tony of their existence by forming war parties against their enemies, 

 such as the Plain Crees against the Sioux and the Blackfeet, the 

 Ojibways against the Sioux. 



When on the south branch of the Saskatchewan last August, we 

 found the Plain Crees hastening from the west to the east bank of 

 the river, at the Elbow, with a strong war party of Blackfeet in purs- 

 suit. The chief of the Crees of the Sandy Hills, near the south 

 branch. Short-stick by name, pointed out some of his band who had 

 penetrated through the Blackfeet country to the Bocky Mountains 

 two years ago, and returned with several scalps, grizzly bear claws> 

 necklaces, pipes, and other trophies of success ; he also related with 

 much feeling how twenty-five young warriors had gone on a similar 

 excursion the summer before last, but none had yet returned. Last 

 July, the Plain Crees met a portion of the Blackfeet tribe, at the 

 Eagle Hills, on the north branch of the Saskatchewan, to arrange 

 terms of peace. All matters went on smoothly and the tribes sepa- 

 rated as friends. Some of the Crees, however, incapable of resisting 

 the opportunity, stole some horses from the Blackfeet. They were pur>- 

 sued, and three of them taken. One was killed instantly, the others 

 were led back in triumph to the camp of the Blackfeet. They were 

 stripped, their hands were tied behind their backs, a hole bored 

 through both wrists and a stick passed through them and so tightly 

 fastened that it could not be removed without assistance. The cap- 

 tives were then separated and dismissed singly to find their way to 

 their friends. One only reached his tribe and was lying in a tent 

 which we passed on the banks of the Qu'apelle, near the south branch. 



The chief " Short-stick," when relating these adventures, held up 

 the pipe he had in his hand and exclaimed, " this is what my Black- 

 foot friend gave me one day, the next he killed my young men j he is 

 now my enemy again." I expressed a wish to purchase the pipe ; 

 the chief's reply was "take it," handiag it to me with a gloomy 

 frown, and silently extending his hand for the common " clay " which 



