444 Expedition to the 



attend the expedition, as guide, their refusal, and the 

 breach of engagement on the part of Bijeau, should be made 

 known to the agent, and the whole corps of Canadian traders 

 be deprived of the privilege of residing, or trading among 

 the Pawnees. This representation had the desired effect. A 

 ludicrous degree of consternation and alarm was depicted 

 upon the faces of all the traders, and they immediately made 

 a common concern of a subject which before they had treat- 

 ed with very little attention. Two were immediately selected 

 from their number, and were in a short time ready to attend 

 us. It is probable almost any other method of punishment 

 would have appeared to them less terrible. Having been 

 long resident among the Indians, they have conformed to 

 their mode of life, which certainly is not without its charms 

 to the uninformed and the idle. A tie not less powerful is 

 that of conjugal and paternal affection, they having among 

 the Indians wives and children relying upon their exertions 

 for protection and maintenance. 



About the village we saw several parties of youg men 

 eagerly engaged at games of hazard. One of these, which 

 we noticed particularly, is played between two persons, and 

 something is staked on the event of each game. The instru- 

 ments used are a small hoop, about six inches in diameter, 

 which is usually wound with thongs of leather, and a pole 

 five or six feet long, on the larger end of which a limb is 

 left to project about six inches. The whole bears some re- 

 semblance to a shepherd's crook. The game is played upon 

 a smooth beaten path, at one end of which the gamester 

 commences, and running at full speed, he first rolls from him 

 the hoop, then discharges after it the pole, which slides along 

 the path pursuing the hoop until both stop together, at the 

 distance of about thirty yards from the place whence they 

 were thrown. After throwing them from him the gamester 

 continues his pace, and the Indian, the hoop, and the pole 

 arrive at the end of the path about the same time. The effort 



