194 



cepting a young chief, who had a belt of white 

 ermine skins round his middle, and a necklace of 

 white bear's claws around his neck. All the men 

 were tattooed on the breast, with two long, and 

 one short line, drawn horizontally, but on no other 

 part of the body. The women wear their hair 

 tied up in two clubs, which hang over each ear, 

 and a long braid down the back. They were not 

 tattooed, nor do they wear any ornaments, except 

 beads of their own make, formed out of sea shells, 

 about the size of a barberry. Their dress con- 

 sisted of a bufFaloe robe, or a mountain sheep 

 skin, thrown over their shoulders, ground hog 

 skins sewed together, with the tails hanging out on 

 the fur side, fastened round their middle with a 

 belt of raw hide. 



On the 13th, a large party of Snake Indians 

 arrived. This nation resides principally on the 

 head waters of the Big-horn river, and in the 

 most inaccessible parts of the rocky mountains, 

 where they have frequently to hide in caverns 

 from their enemies. Owing to their defenceless 

 situation, they become an easy conquest to any 

 nation disposed to attack them ; and they are fre- 

 quently attacked for no other reason, than the 

 pleasure of killing them. Their appearance be- 

 spoke their distressed situation to which they are 

 reduced. The complexion of these Indians is 

 dark, but their features are regular, although 

 their visage is thin, and their eyes pretty much 

 sunk into their heads. Their bodies are frequently 



