Rocky Mountains. 123 



not appear to command any great respect from the people. 

 Civil as well as military distinction arises from bravery or 

 generosity. Controversies are decided amongst themselves ; 

 they do not appeal to their chief, excepting for counsel. They 

 will not marry any of their kindred, however remote. The 

 females, before marriage, labour in the fields, and serve their 

 parents, carry wood and water, and attend to the culinary 

 duties ; when the eldest daughter marries, she commands the 

 lodge, the mother and all the sisters ; the latter are to be 

 also the wives of the same individual. When a young man 

 wishes to marry a particular female, his father gives a feast 

 to a few persons, generally old men, and acquaints them 

 with his design j they repair to the girl, who generally feigns 

 an unwillingness to marry, and urges such reasons as her 

 poverty, youth, &c. — the old men are often obliged to re- 

 turn six or seven times before they can effect their object — 

 wben her consent is obtained, the parents qf the young man 

 take two or three blankets and some meat to the parents of 

 the female that they may feast, and immediately return to 

 theirlodge. The parents put on the meat to cook, and place the 

 same quantity of meat and merchandize on two horses, and 

 dress their daughter in the best garments they can afford ; she 

 mounts one of the horses, and leads the other, and is preced- 

 ed by a crier announcing, with a loud voice, the marriage of 

 the young couple, naming them, to the people ; in this way 

 she goes to the habitation of her husband, whose parents 

 take from her every thing she brings, strip her entirely na- 

 ked, di-ess her again in clothes as good as she brought, fur- 

 nish her with two other horses, with meat and merchandize, 

 and she returns with her crier to her parents. These two 

 horses she retains as her own, together with all the articles 

 she brings back with her. Her parents then make a feast, to 

 which they invite the husband, his parents and friends ; the 

 young couple are seated together, and all then partake of the 

 good cheer, after which the father of the girl makes a ha- 



