A General History of the Fur Trade. 49 



while there are occasionally others depending on each of 

 them. 



The inhabitants, from the information I could obtain, are 

 as follow : 



AtNepawi, and South-Branch House, about thirty tents 

 of Knisteneaux, or ninety warriors; and sixty tents of 

 Stone-Indians, or Assiniboins, who are their neighbours, 

 and are equal to two hundred men: their hunting grounds ex- 

 tend upwards to about the Eagle Hills. Next to them are those 

 who trade at Forts George and Augustus, and are about 

 eighty tents or upwards of Knisteneaux : on either side of 

 the river, their number may be two hundred. In the same 

 country are one hundred and forty tents of Stone-Indians ; 

 not quite half of them inhabit the West woody country ; 

 the others never leave the plains, and their numbers cannot 

 be less than four hundred and fifty men. At the Southern 

 Head-waters of the North branch dwelte a tribe called Sar- 

 sees, consisting of about thirty-five tents, or one hundred 

 and twenty men. Opposite to those Eastward, on the head- 

 waters of the South-Branch, are the Picaneaux, to the 

 number of from twelve to fifteen hundred men. Next to 

 them, on the same water, are the Blood-Indians, of the 

 same nation as the last, to the number of about fifty tents, 

 or two hundred and fifty men. From them downwards ex- 

 tend the Black-Feet Indians, of the same nation as the two 

 last tribes : their number may be eight hundred men. Next 

 to them, and who extend to the confluence of the South and 

 North branch, are the Fall, or Big-bellied Indians, who 

 may amount to about six hundred warriors. 



Of all these different tribes, those who inhabit the broken 

 country on the North- West side, and the source of the North 

 branch, are beaver-hunters ; the others deal in provisions, 

 wolf, buffalo, and fox skins ; and many people on the South 

 branch do not trouble themselves to come near the trading 

 establishments. Those who do, choose such establishments 

 as are next to their country. The Stone-Indians here, are 

 the same people as the Stone-Indians, or Assiniboins, who 

 inhabit the river of that name already described, and both 

 are detached tribes from the Nadawasis, who inhabit the 

 Western side of the Missisippi, and lower part of the 

 Missisoury. The Fall, or Big-bellied Indians, are from 

 the South- Eastward also, and of a people who inhabit the 

 plains from the North bend of the last mentioned river, la- 

 titude 47. 32. North, longitude 101. 25. West, to the South 



