ACCOUNT OP THE INDIANS. 



309 



a greater part of them pass among their relations, 

 on the east side of the Mountain, where they sub- 

 sist on buffaloe, moose and red deer. Notwith- 

 standing they are tolerable hunters, they would 

 not be able to kill a sufficiency of beavers to serve 

 themselves and families, during the winter, where 

 the snow is so deep, as it generally is in New Cal- 

 edonia. 



The people who are now called Si-cau-nies, I 

 suspect, at no distant period, belonged to the tribe, 

 called Beaver Indians, who inhabit the lower part 

 of Peace River ; for they differ but little from 

 them in dialect, manners, customs, &c. Some 

 misunderstanding between the Sicaunies and the 

 rest of the tribe to which they formerly belong- 

 ed, probably drove them from place to place, up 

 Peace River, until they were, at length, obliged 

 to cross the Rocky Mountain. The Sicaunies, are 

 more brave, and better armed than the Carriers, 

 who have, as yet, but few fire arms; and it is 

 probable that the' former will make encroach- 

 ments upon the latter. The Sicaunies, however, 

 are a. wretched people; for they suffer greatly 

 for the want of food, during nearly one fourth 

 part of the year, when they barely support life, 

 by means of a few unpalatable roots. Yet they 

 are remarkably fond of the country, where they 

 now are; and frequently intermarry with the Car- 



