Rocky Mountains. 217 



this game, as to neglect their food and ordinary occupations, 

 sitting for a whole day, and perhaps night also, solely intent 

 upon it, until the losers have nothing more to stake. 



Having now a plentiful store of provisions, they content 

 themselves in their village until the latter part of October, 

 when, without the formality of a council, or other ceremony, 

 they again depart from the village, and move in separate 

 parties to various situations on both sides of the Missouri, 

 and its tributaries, as far down as the Platte. 



Their primary object at this time, is to obtain, on credit 

 from the traders, various articles, indispensably necessary to 

 their fall, winter, and spring hunts; such as guns, particularly 

 those of Mackinaxv, powder, ball, and flints, beaver traps, 

 brass, tin, and camp-kettles, knives, hoes, squaw-axes and to- 

 mahawks. 



Having obtained these implements, they go in pursuit of 

 deer, or apply themselves to trapping for beaver and otter. 

 Elk was some time since an object of pursuit, but these ani- 

 mals are now rather rare, in the Omawhaw territories. 



This hunt continues until towards the close of December, 

 and during the rigours of the season, they experience an al- 

 ternation of abundance, and scarcity of food. The men are 

 very much exposed to the cold, and, in trapping, to the water. 

 They are also frequently obliged to carry heavy burdens of 

 game from considerable distances. 



The assiduous hunter often returns to his temporary resi- 

 dence in the evening, after unsuccessful exertions continued 

 the live-long day; he is hungry, cold, and fatigued, with his 

 mockasins, perhaps, frozen on his feet. His faithful squaw 

 may be unable to relieve his hunger, but she seats herself by 

 his side near the little fire, and after having disposed of his 

 hunting apparatus, she rubs his mockasins and leggings, and 

 pulls them off, that he may be comfortable; she then gives him 

 water to drink, and his pipe to smoke. His children assem- 

 ble about him, and he takes one of them upon his knee, and 



vol. i. 28 



