214 Expedition to the ~ 



as the pot is filled with them cut in dices, with the addition 

 of a very small quantity of water. But the greater number of 

 these vegetables, are cut into long slips, and, as well as the 

 smaller intestines, and stomach of the bison cut in pieces, 

 are interwoven as before mentioned into a kind of net work. 



A singular description of food is made use of by some 

 tribes of the Snake Indians, consisting chiefly and sometimes 

 wholly of a species of ant, (Formica Lin.) which is very 

 abundant in the region in which they roam. The squaws go 

 in the cool of the morning to the hillocks of these active in- 

 sects, knowing that then they are assembled together in the 

 greatest numbers. Uncovering the little mounds to a certain 

 depth, the squaws scoop them up in their hands, and put them 

 into a bag prepared for the purpose. When a sufficient num- 

 ber are obtained, they repair to the water, and cleanse the 

 mass from all the dirt and small pieces of wood, collected 

 with them. The ants are then placed upon a flat stone, and 

 by the pressure of a rolling-pin, are crushed together into a 

 dense mass, and rolled out like pastry. Of this substance a 

 soup is prepared, which is relished by the Indians, but is not 

 at all to the taste of white men. Whether or not this species 

 of ant, is analogous to the Vachacos, which Humboldt speaks 

 of, as furnishing food to the Indians of the Rio Negro and 

 the Guainia, we have no opportunity of ascertaining. 



We could not learn, that any one of the nations of the 

 Missouri Indians, are accused even by their enemies of eat- 

 ing human flesh, from choice, or for the gratification of a 

 horrible luxury; starvation alone can induce them to eat of 

 it. An Ioway Indian, however, having killed an Osage, com- 

 pelled some children of his own nation to eat of the uncook- 

 ed flesh of the thigh of his victim. And a Sioux of the St. 

 Peter's dried some of the flesh of a Chippeway whom he had 

 killed, and presented it to some white men, who ate it with- 

 out discovering the imposition. 



The Indians like the Hottentots, negroes and monkeys, eat 



