TO HOKSE-HEAD CHOSSING. 
77 
corpulent, owing to the life of ease which he gave us to 
understand he had been leading, and was mounted on a 
mule so disproportionately small, as to present a most 
ludicrous appearance. He had a pleasant, benevolent 
countenance, and bore so striking a resemblance to 
the portraits of General Cass, that every one noticed 
it. He was well dressed in a suit of deerskin, with his 
bow and arrows slung across his back : these were 
inclosed in a beautiful case made of the skin of the 
American leopard, and he wore a pouch of the same 
material by his side. 
He spoke Spanish tolerably well, Mr. Cremony 
acting as the interpreter, and was immediately brought 
to me. He said that he had discovered our trail two 
days before, and had since watched us, keeping at a 
short distance. That his people were encamped a few 
miles off, having removed the day before. Chipota 
knew enough of civilization to be aware that when 
distinguished gentlemen meet, it was customary to take 
a drink ; and finding no proffer of such civilities on 
my part, he gave me to understand that he would not 
object to a glass of whiskey. I told him that we were 
Americans who always drank water, and consequently 
were not provided with whiskey, an assertion that 
he seemed to doubt. I added, however, that if he 
would accompany us to our next encampment, I would 
give him a shirt and something to eat. As we intended 
to encamp after a short march, in order to give our 
animals an opportunity to graze, I asked him to take 
a seat in my carriage, an invitation which he accepted 
with a delight that showed itself in spite of his 
endeavors to maintain his gravity. Contrary to the 
