Rocky Mountains. 185 



much noise ; but her companions, after much ado, carried 

 her off to their encampment. 



As we were cutting up a log for fuel, one of the Omaw- 

 haws seeing a knot or protuberance of the wood, suitable to 

 form into a bowl, requested us to cut it off for him ; but 

 not choosing to gratify him in that manner, we offered the 

 axe we were using, that he might cut it in his own way j 

 he, however, would not accept of it, but pointed to the palm 

 of his hand, giving us to understand that such labour would 

 make his hand sore and hard; he then called one of his 

 squaws, who immediately went to work, and handled the axe 

 very dexterously. Observing several young Indians passing, 

 I indicated to her the propriety of requesting one of them to 

 assist her, but she laughed significantly, as if she would say 

 — you are ironical. 



The Indians are very fickle in bargaining. An Indian, 

 some time since, exchanged his rifle for Mr. Dougherty's 

 shot gun ; yesterday he reversed the bargain, giving a pair 

 of mockasins in return ; and this morning he requested to 

 exchange again, in which he was gratified. 



A squaw offered to exchange mockasins for a couple of our 

 military stocks. We could not conceive to what use she 

 would apply them, but, upon inquiry, we learned that she 

 wished to ornament the crupper of her horse with them. 



The stone quarry, which supplied limestone for building 

 chimnies at camp Missouri, was situate at the distance of 

 an hundred yards below our cantonment. The labourers that 

 were employed in this quarry opened upon many large fis- 

 sures, in which were found a number of serpents that had 

 entered there for the purpose of hybernating. Of these, three 

 species appear to be new.* 



*!. Coluber flavinentris. Olivaceous, beneath yellow; inferior jaw be 

 neath white; scales destitute of cat lea. 



Description. B)dy above olivaceous, tinged with brown on the verte 

 bra; scales impunctnred at tip, posterior edges and basal edge black; skin 



vol. I. 24 



