Rocky Mountains. 215 



the lice which they detect in each others heads. The squaws 

 search for these parasites, and we have often seen them thus 

 occupied with activity, earnestness and much success. One 

 of them who was engaged in combing the head of a white 

 man, was asked why she did not eat the vermin, she replied 

 that " white men's lice are not good." 



Although the Bison cow produces a rich milk, yet the In- 

 dians make no use of that of the individuals they kill in hunt- 

 ing. 



During these active employments which the squaws cheer- 

 fully and even emulously engage in, the occupations of the 

 men are chiefly those of amusement or recreation. 



Numbers of the young warriors are very officious in offer- 

 ing their services to the squaws, as protectors during their 

 field labours, and from the opportunities they enjoy of mak- 

 ing love to their charge in the privacy of high weeds, it is 

 extremely common for them to form permanent attachments 

 to the wives of their neighbours, and an elopement to another 

 nation is the consequence. 



The men devote a portion of their time to card-playing. 

 Various are the games which they practise, of which one is 

 called Matrimony, but others are peculiar to themselves; the 

 following is one, to which they seem to be particularly de- 

 voted. 



The players seat themselves around a bison robe spread on 

 the ground, and each individual deposits in the middle, the 

 articles he intends to stake, such as Vermillion, beads, knives, 

 blankets, &c. without any attention to the circumstance of 

 equalizing its value, with the deposits made by his compa- 

 nions. 



Four small sticks are then laid upon the robe and the cards 

 are shuffled, cut, and two are given to each player, after 

 which the trump is turned. The hands are then played, and 

 whoever gains two tricks, takes one of the sticks. If two 

 persons make each a trick, they play together until one loses 



