THE DELAWARES. : 223 
The Delawares are shrewd and fond of money, but only asa 
means of gratification of either appetite or fancy, never 
saving up any thing for the future. Stealing horses seems to 
be a vice and propensity peculiar to all Indians, and the 
Delawares are not an exception. Like all Indians, the labour 
of planting corn, taking care of stock and all iiactietiadiacin is 
performed by their women. 
They are very inquisitive but not credulous. Captain 
Marcy once showed a Delaware a pocket compass. He was 
much interested, watched the oscillations of the needle and 
the effect of passing a piece of steel over the glass, then 
walked away keeping his eyes attentively fixed upon the 
needle and the invariable manner in which it settled down to 
the same spot. He could not understand it, but with Indian 
incredulity, remarked, “ May be so he lie sometime.” 
The Captain, upon another occasion, endeavoured to 
explain to one of them the magnetic telegraph, and told him 
that by means of it a message could be sent one thousand 
miles, and an answer returned in ten minutes. He seemed 
much interested, but made no remark until the Captain told 
him to explain it to a Camanche who was standing by. He 
replied, “Captain me, not tell him dat; me not _e it 
meself,” 
Although reliable, when pledged to ies: any duty, they 
are like all Indians, tricky. 
Captain Black Beaver—who has been mentioned before, 
and who lives at old Fort Arbuckle—had been frequently in 
