JOURNAL. 
2S4> 
physiognomy:'almost the only sign of life discernible, was a; 
continual sucking its hands. On inquiring of the chief, he told 
me, that he had seen it so ever since he was a boy. He appear¬ 
ed to be at least forty-dye. It is almost impossible to ascertain 
the age of an Indian when he is above sixty ; I made inquiries 
of several, who appeared to me little short of an hundred, 
but could form no satisfactory conjecture, blindness is very' 
common, arising probably from the glare of the snow, during 
a great part of the year. I observed the goitre, or swelled neck, 
in a few instances-. 
Their government is oligarchical, but great respect is paid 
to popular opinion. It is utterly impossible to be a great man 
amongst them, without being a distinguished, warrior, though 
respect is paid to birth, but this must be accompanied by other 
merit, to procure much influence. They are divided into dif¬ 
ferent bands or classes; that of the pheasant, which is compos¬ 
ed of the oldest men ; that of the bear, the buffaloe, the elk, the 
dog, &c. Each of these has its leader, who generally takes the 
name of the class, exclusively. Initiation into these classes, on 
arriving to the proper age, and after having given proofs of be¬ 
ing worthy of it, is attended with great ceremony. The band of 
dogs, is considered the most brave and effective in war, being 
composed of young men under thirty. War parties are usually 
proposed by some individual warrior, and according to the con¬ 
fidence placed in him, his followers are numerous or otherwise. 
In these excursions they wander to a great distance, seldom 
venturing to return home without a scalp, or stolen horses.— : 
Frequently when unsuccessful, they « cast their robes,” as they 
express it, and vow to kill the first person they meet, provided 
he be not of their own nation. In crossing the river, they useN. 
canoes made of the buffaloe hide, or a few pieces of wood fas¬ 
tened together. They usually have some token, as a stake, 
which is marked so as to convey some idea of their numbers, 
the direction which they have taken, 8cc. To avoid surprise, 
they always encamp at the edge of a wood; and when the party 
is small, they construct a kind of fortress, with wonderful expe¬ 
dition, of billets of wood, apparently piled up in a careless man¬ 
ner, but so arranged as to be very strong, and are able to with'? 
