198 Expedition to the 



or three twists of tobacco and a few knives, which, being 

 laid before the partizan, excited from his politeness, the re- 

 turn of thanks. He was of an ordinary stature, and had ex- 

 ceeded the middle age; his face much pitted with the small- 

 pox, his nostrils distended by a habitual muscular action, 

 which, at the same time, elevated the skin of the foreliead 

 and forcibly drew downward that part which corresponds 

 with the inner extremity of the eyebrows, into a kind of 

 gloomy frown. This singular expression of countenance, 

 added to the contrast of the whites of his large eyes, with 

 the black colour, with which his features and body were 

 overspread, seemed to indicate the operations of a mind 

 hardened to the commission of the most outrageous actions. 

 He, however, behaved with much propriety. During these 

 scenes, Mr. Say succeeded in ascertaining and recording 

 many of the words of their language, from an Indian who 

 had seated himself behind him. 



The party was armed with spears, bows and arrows, war- 

 clubs, tomahawks, scalping knives, &c. 



As many of them now began to ask for tobacco, and for 

 paijier to include fragments of it, in the form of segars, for 

 smoking, and not finding it convenient to gratify them in 

 this respect, we thought it prudent to withdraw, lest a quar- 

 rel might ensue. We, therefore, mounted our horses, with- 

 out molestation, having been detained an hour and a half, 

 and proceeded on our journey, with the agreeable reflection, 

 that our deportment had not warranted a supposition that 

 we were conscious of any inferiority in force, but rather that 

 it was dictated by a high courtesy. 



A few bisons varied the landscape, which is fatiguing to 

 the eye by its sameness, and, after travelling twenty-three 

 miles, we encamped for the night. 



A large green-headed fly (Tabanus.) has made its appear- 

 ance in great numbers, which exeedingly annoys our al- 

 ready sufficiently miserable horses. Their range seems to be 



