THE INTERIOR OF OREGON. 471 



the Blackfeet. They are properly a collection of five tribes, that have 

 become one nation, rather from the force of circumstances than by 

 any premeditated plan, or natural bond of union. These five tribes 

 are, the Gros Ventres of the prairie, who, however, are not to be con- 

 founded with the Gros Ventres of the Missouri, who speak the Crow 

 language; the Pilgans, or Pikani; the Blood Indians; the Surcees; 

 and the Blackfeet proper. The Pilgans, Blackfeet, and Blood Indians, 

 speak the same language; while the Surcees and the Gros Ventres 

 have one of their own. Their union took place within the memory of 

 the oldest living members of the tribe. 



The Gros Ventres are the most numerous, the Blood Indians next, 

 then the Pilgans, and last the Blackfeet, who, however, in the year 

 1840, numbered nearly six hundred and fifty lodges. The whole 

 number of the five tribes is supposed to be no less than twenty 

 thousand ; but this is doubtless much exaggerated. These tribes are 

 constantly at war with their Indian neighbours, as well as with the 

 whites ; and although an impression has been entertained that the 

 Blackfeet are hostile to the Americans alone, this is not the case, for 

 they make no distinction between white men. I have been told by 

 gentlemen of the Hudson Bay Company, that they are equally formi- 

 dable to British traders, and have cut off a number of their trappers ; 

 yet, notwithstanding this, some whites are established among them, 

 and have great influence in the nation ; although they cannot at all 

 times protect others who fall into their hands. It is dangerous for 

 stragglers to pass through the country ranged by the Blackfeet, as it is 

 said to be not uncommon for the tribe to have out thirty war-parties 

 at a time. 



From some of the officers of the Hudson Bay Company, I learned 

 that there were many Delawares and Shawanese among the Blackfeet, 

 and that the former, known by the name of the «« Shaved Heads," were 

 much dreaded by the other tribes. The Blackfeet appear to have 

 obtained their reputation for prowess from the advantage acquired by 

 the use of fire-arms, which they obtained sooner than the Oregon 

 Indians, among whom they then made great havoc, and whom they 

 inspired with corresponding fear. Since the latter, however, have also 

 obtained these weapons, the disparity no longer exists. 



The Blackfeet principally inhabit that part of the Rocky Mountains 

 between the head waters of the Columbia, and those of the Missouri 

 and Yellowstone rivers. 



The Snakes, or Shoshones, are widely-scattered tribes, and some 

 even assert that they are of the same race as the Camanches, whose 

 separation is said to be remembered by the Snakes : it has been ascer- 



